education
LOUISIANA STUDENTS REACH RECORD HIGH ON LEAP ASSESSMENTS
SJA STUDENTS EXCEL AT NATIONAL YOUTH GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE Five students from St. Joseph’s Academy were selected as members of Louisiana’s 25-student delegation to the 2026 YMCA Conference on National Affairs (CONA) in Montgomery, Alabama. Representing SJA were Ryn Chapman, Ava Thevenot, Addison Richard, Sophia Montalbano, and Allison Riley. Each student presented a proposal on an issue of national importance, with Chapman earning the Outstanding Proposal Award. Richard and Montalbano served as committee chairs, while Richard was named Louisiana’s Female Delegation Leader. Riley represented the state on the Conference Life Committee and was selected as a presiding officer for the 2027 conference. Their accomplishments reflect SJA’s commitment to developing student leaders through civic engagement and public service.
Louisiana students reached a new milestone on the 2026 Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP), with a record 36 percent of students in grades 3–12 scoring at the Mastery or Advanced level, a two-point increase over last year. The results also reflect continued strength in English Language Arts, where students in grades 3–8 maintained a 43 percent Mastery+ rate for the third consecutive year. Grades 4, 6, and 7 all posted gains, while English II scores improved by three percentage points. Education leaders credit the state’s sustained investment in evidence-based literacy instruction, emphasizing that strong reading skills built in the early grades continue to drive academic success across subjects as students progress through school.
PHOTO BY MAGNIFIC.COM
STUDENT INTERNS GAIN REAL-WORLD
COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE Two East Baton Rouge Parish students spent the summer gaining hands-on experience through the EBR Workforce Development Program. Phillip Malveaux of Liberty High School and Kaleb Chaney of Tara High School joined the EBR Schools Communications Team, where they explored careers in marketing and communications while contributing to a variety of creative projects. Throughout the internship, the students helped develop billboard concepts, videos, and other communications materials, applying their talents and interests in a professional setting. The experience provided valuable career exposure while showcasing the innovation, creativity, and potential of local students. The students also saw how their classroom interests could translate into the workplace.
WOODLAWN CADET EARNS NATIONAL JROTC HONOR
Woodlawn High School cadet Amariya Jarvis earned national recognition after winning the JROTC Brigade’s Essay Contest for the 2025–26 school year. Her award included an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where she represented Woodlawn High School and East Baton Rouge Schools at the national All-Service JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl Competition. Jarvis read her award-winning essay during the event’s opening ceremony and was recognized again at the closing ceremony. During her visit, she also toured several of the nation’s most historic landmarks, including the White House, U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
10 SEPTEMBER 2026 | BRPARENTS.COM
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