NOLA-PS Superintendent Congratulates the District’s 2022 State Students of the Year Finalists
(New Orleans – March 15, 2022) — Today, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. visited three students from the District who have been named finalists in the Louisiana Department of Education's (LDOE) annual Students of the Year competition. Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. visited Lusher 5th grader Jayden Gardere, Lusher 8th grader Richard "Ben" Blevins, and Benjamin Franklin High School 12th grader Anita Zahiri, in class, this morning.
"I'm so proud of Jayden, Ben, and Anita. They're well-rounded students who have not only achieved academic excellence, but have also demonstrated good citizenship and leadership skills," said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. "We are honored to have them represent our District in the annual Louisiana Students of the Year competition. The winners will be announced next month, and we wish them all good luck."
Jayden Gardere is a 5th grader enrolled at Lusher Charter School in Ms. Lajaunie's homeroom. He enjoys karate, hanging out with his family, and playing video games. He was chosen to be Lusher's 5th grade Student of the Year due to his exemplary academic record, his leadership skills, and his true embodiment of what it means to "be kind."
Jayden's teachers speak often of his respect for others and generosity of spirit towards his peers. When Jayden grows up, he wants to be a sports commentator or data analyst. When asked to describe himself, he says that he always tries to do his best and is really good at chess. An unknown fun fact about Jayden is that he can do a flip in the air from the ground.
Richard "Ben" Blevins is a 14-year-old 8th grade student at Lusher Charter School (LCS). He is the son of Meg and John Blevins and has an older sister, Anne and a dog, Maisy. Ben is a very kind and loving person who enjoys spending time with his family (including his dog), as well as spending time with his many and varied hobbies.
Along with excelling in academics (Ben has made no grade lower than an A in his entire school career), one of Ben's favorite hobbies is to play and practice one of the several instruments he's learned how to play in his "spare" time. These instruments include the piano, guitar, drums, trumpet, mandolin, steel guitar, and bass guitar. And between excelling in school and playing one of numerous instruments, you can find Ben watching sports or participating in sports, as he is currently a member of one or more teams in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.
Theater is another great love for Ben. He is currently a TAT student at Lusher and has participated in theater productions at LCS for the past six years. It's no surprise that Ben thrives on stage, as his presence in general is one of confidence, spontaneity, enthusiasm, and joy.
In 5th grade, Blevins was named Lusher's Student of the Year and went on to become a state finalist that year.
Anita Zahiri is a senior at Benjamin Franklin High School. A member of Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, HOSA - Future Health Professionals, From Student to Scientist, Science Olympiad, and the swim team, Anita is also a Coca-Cola Scholar finalist, National Merit finalist, and Jack Kent Cooke Scholar semifinalist.
Although she is still weighing her choices for college, her ultimate goal is to attend medical school and pursue a career in surgery. Zahiri also hopes to learn new languages and travel more to expand her worldview through meeting new people from diverse backgrounds.
Prior to being chosen as a state winner, the state selection committee conducts interviews and reviews a writing sample from each of the finalists. NOLA-PS is rooting for each of its finalists and wishes them much success! The state will announce the winners Wednesday, April 13 at the Department of Education in Baton Rouge.
(Left to Right: Jayden Gardere, Richard "Ben" Blevins, and Anita Zahiri)
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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 76 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.
For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.
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