LSMSA Confers 101 Degrees During 40th Commencement Ceremony

Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA), a public, residential high school for high-achieving Louisiana sophomores, juniors, and seniors, held its 40th Commencement Ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. One hundred one members of the Class of ‘24 graduated during the afternoon ceremony, which was held at Prather Coliseum on the campus of Northwestern State University. The addition of the Class of ‘24 increases the total number of LSMSA graduates since the school’s founding in 1983 to 5,705.

 

LSMSA’s Class of ’24 includes students from 38 Louisiana parishes. Collectively, members of the class were offered more than $32 million in undedicated, merit-based scholarships. Eighty-six percent of the class took advantage of dual enrollment at Northwestern State University, where they earned 3,200 hours of college credit. Thirty-four members of the Class of ’24 will leave LSMSA having earned an associate degree from Northwestern State University. Seventy-two members of LSMSA’s Class of '24 will remain in Louisiana to attend colleges and universities throughout the state. Others will continue their studies at colleges and universities including Duke University, Georgia Tech, Howard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wake Forest University, and Wellesley College.    

 

 

Highlights of the 40th Commencement Ceremony included a keynote address by LSMSA’s first-ever Executive Director Emeritus, Dr. Arthur S. Williams, and the dedication of the Sharon T. Gahagan Art Gallery, an exhibition space named in honor of longtime LSMSA Board Chair Sharon Turcan Gahagan. Five graduates—Anastasia Adams-Giron, of Alexandria, Elana Eastridge, of Slidell, Sam Ryan, of Sugartown, Chloe Trosclair, of Bourg, and Kushal Upadhyay, of Leesville—were inducted into the Robert Alost Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon LSMSA students. The senior address, entitled “Mosaic,” was delivered by Mackenzie LaCombe of Prairieville.

 

“We each had our own reasons for coming here,” LaCombe said. “For some of us, it was about accomplishing goals. For others, it was a steppingstone to something bigger. What we all have in common is our time shared here and its impact beyond this moment.”

 

Diplomas were officially conferred by Dr. Steve Horton, LSMSA Executive Director, with help from Dr. Bill Ebarb, Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Angela Couvillion (’93), Registrar and Chief Articulation Officer, and Dr. Jason Anderson, Director of Academic Affairs. Dr. Horton encouraged students to “continue to excel” in their lives after LSMSA.

 

“I want to challenge this class to continue to learn and serve,” Dr. Horton said. “You will continue to bring esteem and distinction to your alma mater as you serve your communities, your country, and humanity. It's your responsibility.”

 

LSMSA is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families in need to ensure that no eligible student is denied the school’s 40-year legacy of a premium college-level living/learning experience. 

 

For more information about LSMSA, or to apply for the 2024-25 academic school year, visit www.LSMSA.edu.

 

LSMSA’s newest alumni by parish are:

 

Blaise Comeaux, Crowley 

 

Nathan Dart, Oakdale

 

Kaylyn Coughlin, Prairieville
Mackenzie LaCombe, Prairieville

 

Elizabeth Orgeron, Thibodeaux

 

Charlie DeSoto, Plaucheville 

 

Reese Anderson, Longville
Aurora Bauer, DeRidder
Sam Ryan, Sugartown
Valentine Williams, DeRidder

 

Ava Toms, Castor

 

McKenzie Barker, Benton
Malorie Hood, Benton
Jackson Owen, Bossier City
Kaylee Raper, Bossier City
Anna Beth Scales, Benton

 

Ainsley Hanes, Shreveport

 

Zoe Cappel, Lake Charles
Will Garner, Lake Charles
Jackson Green, Lake Charles
Luke Millslagle, Iowa
Layla Navarre, Sulphur

 

Trinity Hatten, Grayson

 

Ragan Penix, Athens

 

Ade Adjignon, Baton Rouge
Frannie Barrier, Zachary
Madden Coker, Zachary
William Huguet, Greenwell Springs
Chloe LaCarriere, Zachary
Madeline McCoy, Baton Rouge
Gavin Taylor, Baker
Julian Vertigan, Baton Rouge

 

Lily Godwin, Pine Prairie
Sebastian Lee, Ville Platte

 

Cody Williams, Winnsboro

 

Gabe Boudreaux, Lafayette
Cohl Cliburn, Lafayette
Grace Henry-Tarrant, Lafayette
Ryan Le, Lafayette
Jesse Llewellyn, Lafayette

 

Lucia Allemand, Thibodaux

 

Basil Pugh, Trout

 

Livingston Parish
Simone Greenup, Walker
Brenley Murry, Walker
Ryan Thomas, Denham Springs
Nathaniel Vise, Walker
Ally Yerby, Saint Amant

 

Jamal Barnes, Coushatta
Alayna Dees, Natchitoches
Hanna Gahagan, Natchitoches
Joe Maggio, Natchitoches
Josephine Rivers, Natchitoches
Sophia Witman, Natchitoches
Jack Yi, Natchitoches

 

Avery Colegrove, Monroe

Susan Murphy, Monroe 

 

Kameron Friddle, New Roads

 

Anastasia Adams-Giron, Alexandria
Camille Kirzner, Alexandria
Sophia Lytle, Alexandria
Najm Shalabi, Alexandria 
Neely Teekell, Boyce

 

Diamond Smith, Coushatta

 

Katy Bass, Belmont

 

Andre Williams, Viola

 

Bella Fairleigh, Destrehan

Sarah Green, Luling
Hunter Hicks, Luling
William Reed, Luling
Conner Rome, Luling

 

Oli Louque, Paulina

 

Emma Wale, Laplace

 

Aiden Allgire, Port Barre
Taylor Citizen, Opelousas
Emily Gary, Eunice
Zion Johnson, Opelousas
Aysa Jordan, Opelousas

 

Lillah Garcia, Breaux Bridge

 

Kiya Merritt, Patterson

 

Riley Beck, Covington
Layla Burton, Slidell
Elana Valentine Eastridge, Slidell
Parker Lagman, Mandeville
Jessie Zaffron, Mandeville

 

Brylynn Chaisson, Bourg
Joy Dong, Houma
DJ Flood, Houma
Annie Johnson, Gray
Cullen Pierce, Houma
Chloe Trosclair, Bourg
Jay Trosclair, Bourg

 

Vernon Parish
Joey Chen, Leesville
Thomas Lubbos, Leesville
Kushal Upadhyay, Leesville

 

Cam Magee, Franklinton

 

Emma Boyd, Heflin

 

Nicole Barrett, Addis
Nathan Berthelot, Brusly
Emma Earl, Brusly

 

Out-of-State
Leah Aranas, Atlanta, GA
Phillip Voorhees, Gulfport, MS