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LEFT: Iota High School Principal Cindy Abshire, right, presents the Bulldog of the Year Award to Madison Meche.
RIGHT: President of the class of 2014 Amelia Lejeune, left, shares a laugh and presents the Iota High key to the president of the 2015 class Emily Navarre during the school’s graduation ceremony Tuesday night.

96 become Iota High School graduates

Jeannine LeJeune is the online editor for the Crowley Post-Signal. She can be reached at jeannine.lejeune@crowleytoday.com or 337-783-3450.

Before a full Bulldog Stadium —  spilling out into the fence line — Iota High School held commencement ceremonies and conferred diplomas upon 96 Tuesday evening.

The class of 2014 from Iota High featured 24 honor graduates that wore trim on their collars to designate their four-year cumulative GPA. 

Those with a 3.5 to 3.75 grade point average were awarded collars with gray trim, those with a 3.76 to 3.99 were awarded blue-trimmed collars and gold collars were awarded to 4.0 graduates. 

The class featured 12 graduates with a 4.0 and three of those, the class’s valedictorians, with absolute 4.0 GPAs throughout high school.

Graduating with honors this year were Hillary Cart, Kynsli Duhon, Devin Fuselier, Hannah Gonzales, Justin Kyle Guillory, Katlyn Hanks, Allison Hoffpauir, Robin Langley, Amelia Lejeune, John Thomas Lejeune, Taylor Lejeune, Abigail Leonards, Mary Leonards, Madison Meche, Caleb Miller, Courtney Miller, Sean Miller, Luke Reed, Brooklynn Regan, Kirsti Regan, Melinda Russell, Madison Smith, Michael Thevis and Allysa Vidrine.

Principal Cindy Abshire announced in her remarks to the class and attendees that the class of 2014 had acquired about $230,000 in local and college scholarships, and, including TOPS and TOPS Tech, the dollar amount is increased to over $1 million. 

She also had words of inspiration for the class.

“Seniors, until now, your education has been planned for you,” she said. “You generally knew what you were going to be taught and how you would be assessed to prove you learned something. You can thank parents and teachers for that.

“The funny thing about real life, though, is that there will no longer be daily objectives written on the board to guide you. Learning becomes more difficult to measure. And, most real life tests are unannounced, especially those tests that involve your character.”

The valedictorians – Gonzales, Reed and Regan – also delivered addresses to the crowd in attendance. While all three thanked their families, their teachers, their classmates and more, each had words to reflect on their high school years and hopefully provide one more drop of inspiration toward their fellow classmates.

Gonzales also thanked God for bringing everyone together Tuesday night.

“We determine our own destination and what kind of roads we take to get there,” she said. “With God at our side, the journey may not always be smooth but hopefully it will be rewarding in the end.”

Reed, in his address, talked about how the 2014 class had been the underdog many times throughout its high school years, especially this year when it was outnumbered by the other three classes.

“One of my favorite quotes can be found outside this very field: ‘It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight; it’s about the size of the fight in the dog’,” he said. “I think our class has always been sort of an underdog, especially this year.

“This gave us an important quality. It gave us the trait to never give up. That’s a trait that’s going to serve us well in the world.”

Last up to speak was Regan, who pointed to graduation being a turning point for her and her fellow graduates.

“Today is not just reminiscing about the past, but about looking forward to the future,” she said.

“As I look around today, perceptions of individuals are washed away. I no longer see people as they were; I see them as they will be.”

As per Iota High tradition, class of 2014 President Amelia Lejeune presented the Class of 2015’s president, Emily Navarre, the school’s key. Navarre, while accepting it, wished the graduating class the best of luck in the future.

Several more awards were presented at the school’s graduation ceremony. They, and their winners, were:

• The American Legion Award was presented by Douglas Hargrave to Linda Rae-Leigh Johnson and Reed.

• Leora Amy and Thelma Istre, representing the Crowley American Legion Hospital Pink Ladies, presented its scholarship to Hoffpauir.

• Michaela McBride was presented the J. Cecil McCrory Memorial Scholarship by Judia Lacombe.

• The Luke LaSage Memorial Scholarship was presented to Morgan Reed.

• Taylor Givens was awarded the Matthew Miller Memorial Scholarship.

• The Cpl. Matthew Richard Memorial Scholarship was presented to McBride.

Two of the school’s top honors were also bestowed upon graduates were awarded to three individuals.

School board members Doug LaCombe and Milton Simar awarded the honors of Mr. and Miss IHS to Guillory and Johnson. Abshire also presented the Bulldog of the Year Award to Meche.

After awards were presented, the moment 96 seniors spent 13 school years awaiting arrived, the presentation of diplomas.

Receiving diplomas were Curtis James Antoine Jr., Sarah Jade Arnaud, Joshua Paul Benoit, Brennan James Bobbett, Troy Louis Bouley, Dustin Michael Breaux, Heather Rachelle Broussard, Hillary Frances Cart, Mark Brennan Caswell, Deandré Jamal Curtis, Adelaide Yvonne Daigle, Samantha Reneé Delahoussaye, Seani Alexandra Deshotel, Morgan Claire Doucet, Ethan Craig Dugan, Kynsli Lanee Duhon, Sarah Elizabeth Duhon;

Aubree Marlene-Michelle Finch, Caleb Dane Fontenot, Jarrette James Fontenot, Hunter Woodward Freeland, Devin Blake Fuselier, Taylor Jade Givens, Hannah Kathryn Gonzales, Kristyn Elise Guidry, Justin Kyle Amador Guillory, Trevor James Guillory, Katlyn Ann Hanks, Alexis Angelle Harrell, Logan James Hebert, Allison Elizabeth Hoffpauir, Chrislynn Renee Johnson, Drew Morgan Johnson, Linda Rae-Leigh Johnson;

Luke David Johnson, Samantha Lee Klein, Samuel Wayne Labarge, Randy Terrance Lacombe, Tasia Nicole Laidlaw, Robin Leigh Sky Langley, Kate Elizabeth Legé, Phyllis Angelle Leger, Amelia Rose Lejeune, John Thomas Lejeune, Spencer Chad Lejeune, Taylor Paige Lejeune, Abigail Elizabeth Leonards, Mary Elizabeth Leonards, Rovontae Gerard Lewis, Michaela Anne Mcbride, Darin Ray McFarlain, Jacob Daniel Meaux, Madison Clare Meche;

Hayden Phillip Meyer, Bree Chantal Miller, Briana Elise Miller, Brittany Erin Miller, Caleb Seth Miller, Courtney Ann Miller, Phillip John Miller, Sean Nicholas Miller, Connor Mathew Mire, Ethan Lane Mitchell, Ian Dane Mitchell, Stefan Wayne Moeller, Matthew Ryan Moffitt, Brooke Renee Monceaux, Cayden Allen Morgan, Jeffery James Murrell Jr., Gavin Tyler Naquin, Seth Frederic Owens, Jacob Paul Pousson , Tyler Milton Prejean, Luke Robert Reed;

Morgan Renee Reed, Myranda Elizabeth Reed, Samuel Louis Reed, Bailey Faith Regan, Brooklyn Paige Regan, Heidi Marie Regan, Kirsti Nicole Regan, Kevin Paul Robinson Jr., Jude Joseph Roy, Melinda Kay Russell, Destiny Charae Sam, Alex Tray Schexnayder, Jake Mckinley Scott, Nicolas Saxon Sloane, Madison Nicole Smith, Nicholas Soileau, Brianne Elizabeth Spell, Michael Charles Thevis, Dylan Kade Thibodeaux, Allysa Jeanné Vidrine, Emily Louise Wilson and Courtney Paige Wise.

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