TFAE Celebrates Distinguished Scholars and Inspirational Educators

Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence (TFAE) is celebrating the 2019-2020 Distinguished Scholars and Inspirational Educators a bit differently this year. Due to COVID-19, the local education foundation could not hold its annual TFAE Celebrates Excellence event. However, the organization said they are making every effort to honor and showcase these students through social media, website, and local media.

Each year, eleven students are honored as TFAE Distinguished Scholars, chosen for their ability to overcome challenges and obstacles in their life to still achieve academic success, be involved in their school and community, and serve as an example of leadership to their peers. Nominated by their schools, selected students submit an application and an essay to be considered by a local panel of community members. Two students from each high school and one student from Bayou Cane Adult Education Center are named Distinguished Scholars.

Each scholar then selects their own Inspirational Educator, a teacher who has provided encouragement and inspiration in their life. Many scholars thanked their Inspirational Educators for being great motivators for them to do well in school and achieve their goals.

The 2019-2020 Distinguished Scholars and their Inspirational Educators are:

• Bayou Cane Adult Education Center – Mark Allen Racine and Mr. Clint Domangue (Fletcher Technical College)
• Ellender Memorial High School – Lane Crochet and Ms. Penny Louivere
• Ellender Memorial High School – Tiffany Nunez and Ms. Kenya Fields
• H.L. Bourgeois High School – Ty Henry and Mr. Tony Bergeron
• H.L. Bourgeois High School – Wilbert Collins and Ms. Eugenie Brown
• Louis Miller Terrebonne Career & Technical High – Darion Sneeze and Ms. Lakeisha Navy (Ellender High)
• Louis Miller Terrebonne Career & Technical High – Jameliah Anderson and Ms. Rose Ursery (H.L. Bourgeois High)
• South Terrebonne High School – Aaliyah Wright and Ms. Chequita Martin
• South Terrebonne High School – Alexis Prosperie and Ms. Susan Adams
• Terrebonne High School – Hayden Rice and Ms. Melissa Williamson (H.L. Bourgeois High)
• Terrebonne High School – Holland Methe and Ms. Leslie Bourdier (Houma Jr. High)

Terrebonne General Medical Center assisted with recording and creating videos of our honorees to share. Links to their inspirational videos are here: https://www.tfae.org/celebrates-excellence.

Traditionally at the TFAE Celebrates Excellence event, TFAE also names the James J. Buquet, Jr. Award of Distinction recipient. The award is given annually to a Terrebonne Parish public high school graduate recognized for vision and excellence in their chosen field or other areas of personal endeavor. This individual has provided service unselfishly to his or her community, state, nation or internationally. The award is named in honor of Mr. Buquet’s commitment to public education.

This year’s honor was given to James Charles. Mr. Charles has dedicated his life to serving the students of Terrebonne Parish as an educator. He has served in many roles within the Terrebonne Parish School District, including math teacher, first-ever principal of Ellender Memorial High School, and Interim Superintendent.

TFAE will also be recognizing the 2019-2020 Teachers and Principals of the Year.

The Principals of the Year are:

• Miranda Babin, Schriever Elementary School
• Ronald Foret, Caldwell Middle School
• William Simmons, Jr., Louis Miller Terrebonne Career & Technical School

The Teachers of the Year are:

• Kristal Eimer, Schriever Elementary School
• Pamela Fussell, Montegut Middle School
• Adrianna Adams, South Terrebonne High School

Each Distinguished Scholar, Inspirational Educator, Principal of the Year, and Teacher of the Year will receive gifts purchased from local restaurants and businesses thanks to sponsor Hancock Whitney Bank. The bank has served as the underwriter of this event for many years. Additionally, each Inspirational Educator will gift an inscribed book of their choosing to their Distinguished Scholar thanks to a sponsorship by the Houma Times.

“We wish to spotlight these determined students and magnificent educators as best we can,” Katie Portier, TFAE Executive Director, said. “They have worked very hard over the years to reach this point. We are very proud of them all and hope the community will join us in congratulating them.”

TFAE is an independent local non-profit organization that strives to positively affect academic achievement and to fundamentally improve education. TFAE has awarded more than $1.2 million grant dollars to Terrebonne Parish public school teachers since 2012.