At the October meeting of the Washington Parish School Board, three schools' students made presentations about activities they are involved in.
Franklinton Junior High School presented the MAD Club. Make a Difference (MAD) is a group who work to mentor and assist special education students. According to Principal Tiffany Smith, MAD Club is creating enthusiasm and making a difference on the FJHS campus.
Franklinton High School's FFA explained the many competitions they are involved in Area IV and the state including recently placing 2nd in the state in the Forestry competition. President Cole Luper and Vice President EJ Pelayo informed the board that FFA in Louisiana is comprised of 64 chapters in 22 Areas. The FHS students' area of competition reaches from the east bank of the Mississippi River to the state lines on the eastern boarder and the Gulf of Mexico to the South. FHS also boasts one Area IV officer, Emma Moran. They annually attend and compete at the State FFA Convention as well as the National Convention.
The group is one of the strongest and largest organizations on the FHS campus.
Awards won by FHS FFA include: Forestry 2021, First area, second state; forestry 2022 1st and 5th area, second state; Nursery Landscape, 1st area 3rd state; Floriculture, 1st area; Meat Identification 1st area; Small engines 2nd and 3rd area; Electricity 3rd are 2nd state.
Mt. Hermon High School students presented the Upward Bound program to the Board by explaining the requirements for entry as well as the many benefits that come from participating. They were most enthusiastic about a trip to Washington DC and the Smoky Mountains this past summer. The trip included a tour of Howard University. Two other highlights of the trip were visiting the Smithsonian and the Iwo Jima Memorial. The trip home found the Upward group spending the day at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Savannah Mitchell summed up the experience by stating, "We were able to do things on the trip we could never do in Mt. Hermon."
