Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 4/26/02
Contact: Christina Chapple 25
Editors: Photos accompany release -- Please note local interest
SLU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT HONORS TOP
STUDENTS
HAMMOND Education majors Simone Ingram and Ara T. Forrest of Ponchatoula
received the Outstanding Student Teacher awards at the Southeastern Louisiana University
College of Education and Human Development's annual honors convocation on April 25.
Forrest, a Spanish education major, received the honor in secondary education, while
Ingram, who was also named Exemplary Graduate in Elementary Education, was recognized as
the top elementary education student teacher. The students were chosen for the college's highest
honor from among three nominees, including Rebecca Becnel Johnson, a elementary education
major from Independence.
At the 11 a.m. ceremony in the Cate Teacher Education Center Kiva, the college also
recognized as its outstanding alumnus Homer Dyess, a 1955 Southeastern graduate, founder of
the Council for Development of French in Louisiana (CODEFIL) and director of educational
services at Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
Jumpstart, a national program that aims to ensure that every child enters school prepared
for success, was named the college's outstanding parthership. Southeastern's Jumpstart program,
which began last year, partners with Southeastern and Hammond Head Start programs where 31
Southeastern students work one-on-one with 33 families and their children, targeting school
readiness.
The college also announced departmental honors and scholarships and new members of
the honor societies Phi Kappa Phi, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Alpha and the Thirteen Club.
Students receiving departmental honors and scholarships included:
ALBANY Jeffery Paul Watts, Outstanding Senior in Social Studies Education and
(MORE)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT HONORS Add One
College of Education and Human Development Senior Scholarship recipient.
BATON ROUGE Robin Michael, Child Welfare Grant recipient.
COVINGTON Toni Flad, Child Welfare Grant recipient.
DENHAM SPRINGS Tracey Jane Kelly, College of Education and Human
Development Senior Scholarship recipient.
FRANKLINTON Vanessa Lee Knight, Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Education
and College of Education and Human Development Senior Scholarship recipient; Taffenie
Corkern, Outstanding Senior in Art Education.
GONZALES Jenny Rebecca Petty, Pyburn Award (for outstanding student in Family
and Consumer Sciences program); Melissa Ann Hertzell, Outstanding Senior in English
Education.
HAMMOND Jodi Stuker, Outstanding Alternate Certification Student in the Special
Education program; Jennifer Byrd, Exemplary Elementary Education Alternate Certification
Student.
MADISONVILLE Jerrilyn Arellano and Amanda Beth Cuny, College of Education and
Human Development Senior Scholarship recipients.
MANDEVILLE Adele Vinturella, Outstanding Senior in Communication Education.
NEW ORLEANS Venus Simms, Outstanding Alternate Certification Student in Special
Education Early Intervention.
PONCHATOULA Crystal Effler, Child Welfare Grant recipient; Cathy Core,
Exemplary Secondary Education Alternate Certification Student.
WALKER Gary Cantrell, Outstanding Senior in Social Work and Outstanding Graduate
in a Professional Program; Damon P. Lowrey, Child Welfare Grant recipient; Deanna Roberts,
Child Welfare Grant recipient.
VACHERIE Keena Marie Brazan, Outstanding Student Teacher in Special Education.
-SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html