Middle school students complete LSUS LaPREP
07/29/04

A group of middle school students from Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parishes are better prepared to complete a college degree in math, science or engineering because of their participation in the 13th Annual Louisiana Preparatory Program at LSUS. The 48 students were honored July 23 at an awards ceremony for which Ron Anderson, executive director of the Highland Center, was the featured speaker.

The awards ceremony was the culmination of seven weeks of intellectually stimulating work and fun on the LSUS campus. More than half of the students -25- completed their first summer in the program, while the other 23 completed their second summer. Caddo is the home parish for 37 of the students, 11 live in Bossier parish and two are from DeSoto Parish.

LaPREP is a two-summer enrichment program that identifies, encourages and instructs competent middle school students, preparing them to complete a college degree in math, science or engineering. With emphasis on abstract reasoning, problem-solving and technical writing skills, students attend intensive classes and seminars, interspersed with field trips and recreation. Class assignments, laboratory projects and scheduled exams are integral parts of LaPREP.

Students successfully completing the program’s two summers are eligible to apply for LaPREP scholarships to attend LSUS when they are ready to enter as college freshmen. LaPREP graduates are also eligible for LSU Health Sciences Center’s Jumpstart Program for high school students.

LaPREP also has a link with the LSUS Louisiana Consortium of Insurance and Financial Services’ Institute of Financial Literacy. In this link, the consortium brought together public middle and high school teachers, the business sector and second year participants of LaPREP in a seminar, “Financial Independence for Life.” The seminar presented a curriculum of personal financial topics which enable students to begin a journey toward financial freedom, studying the importance of financial planning, money management, income protection and investment options.

LaPREP spends about $1,600 per student per summer to conduct the program, but the students and their families pay no tuition or fees of any kind. The program is privately funded by grants and donations.

Students completing the 2004 program are:

Barksdale AFB – Amanda Hock and Diana Hock.

Benton – Colby Harrington and Mark Harrington.

Bossier City – Mallory McDowell and Kendal White.

Greenwood – Charlisa Brown.

Keithville – Brandace Latin, Waylon Mosely and Timothy Mosley.

Shreveport – Ahmaad Adesola, Mya Baker, LaQuita Chambers, Harry Chiang, Marie Collins, Michael Dai, L'Anthony Davis, Sherron Douglas, Shaad Farooqui, Morgan Franklin, Marcus Gay, Heather Granger, Sandy Griffin, Malynda Hudson, Shaunesse' Jacobs, Niha Jain, Herstyn Jones, Patrick Keene, William Knox, Scott Li, James Lowder, Weili Ma, Jeremy McLemore, Reginald Mills, Krystal Myatt, James Scroggins, Valessa Spratley, Suparsh Tangare, Christian Taylor, James Travis, Mayand Vakil, Rachael Walton, Leundra Watkins, Chelsey Wooten, Lily Wu, Sabrina Zeidan and Cassie Zhao.

Stonewall – Christopher Higdon.