Exemplify Excellence

Three students in St. Tammany have been selected to

represent the parish in the regional Student of the Year

competition held annually throughout the state. All three exemplify what has become the mission of the St. Tammany Parish School Board including academic excellence,

community service and learning to last a lifetime.

MARJORIE BATEMAN

Mandeville High School senior Marjorie Elizabeth “Betsy” Bateman, daughter of Cecily and Rodney Bateman of Mandeville, is a straight A student with a 4.0 GPA average, or a 4.588 GPA weighted with honors courses.

Bateman said, “I was extremely excited and surprised when my principal Mr. Bundy pulled me out of seventh hour to tell me I was student of the year.”

Among her many awards, she is a finalist in the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, announced this week. She will travel to Atlanta in March for the competition to receive either a $10,000 or $20,000 scholarship, including an interview by the selection committee.

As her grandmother clung to life after suffering severe complications following a routine surgical procedure in 2000, she has since helped care for her. She said, “I learned firsthand at a young age how important it is for families to take care of their loved ones and to advocate for them when they are ill.” She added, “I knew then that I wanted to be a physician and part of a medical team working to save a child’s grandmother, just like my own, so I have diligently worked throughout my schooling toward this career goal.”

She has volunteered at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Bogalusa and has maintained a straight-A average through AP courses and honors courses in science, including biology, chemistry and physics.

In addition to her academic achievements, Bateman plays clarinet with the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra and performed with them at Carnegie Hall in New York.

She is also active in the Hi-Y Club and served as the state paper press editor during the YMCA Louisiana Youth Legislature.

She is also an active member of the Best Buddies Club at MHS, which befriends intellectually disabled students and has won the healthcare professional award at St. Tammany Parish Hospital. She created the pediatric treats program at LSU’s Bogalusa Medical Center using her own babysitting and tutoring income to supply treat bags for pediatric patients. She has also participated in Habitat for Humanity projects

A National Merit Semifinalist, she is an AP scholar with honor for scoring a “5” on four AP tests and is the recipient of numerous other academic awards. She also placed first in biology II and was the overall winner at the State Literary Rally.

Her hobbies include music and writing. She hopes to major in either biology or chemistry in pre-med and become a primary care physician.

EMILY COGNEVICH

Emily Cognevich is the parish elementary student of the year.

Aside from being a gifted student, the Bonne Ecole fifth grader is very talented and likes to use that talent to create things and give back to the community.

In her application, Cognevich describes herself as “A creative girl who loves to help people.”

She plays the violin in the St. Tammany Strings program and in December 2009 she used her violin to play Christmas songs for the residents at Azalea Estates Retirement Community.

Last November she helped serve Thanksgiving meals with Aldersgate United Methodist Church

In 2008, she organized an effort to hold a thank you breakfast for her school’s custodians and also raised money for an orphanage in Singapore.

She has offered up her time and ideas to help a local group raise money to build a handicap accessible playground.

Cognevich said the three most important things to her are her faith in God, her brother Matthew and her family.

“God helps me to be confident and to have courage and peace all at the same time,” she wrote in her application letter.

She said she admires her brother, who makes her laugh and helps her with her homework.

She is unsure as to what she wants to be when she grows up, but knows she would like to be able to use her creativity in her future career.

At her school, Cognevich helps to run the school’s daily television station and is captain of the school’s jump rope team.

She plays volleyball and basketball and is a member of AWANA at her church.

April Owens, principal at Bonne Ecole Elementary, said Cognevich is “bright, energetic, compassionate and genuinely well rounded.”

Her teacher, Kacie Kerlec, said she is “always willing to go above and beyond what is asked of her, welcomes a challenge and works at her highest potential in all areas.”

AARON REED

Imagine working algebra II and trigonometry problems with no problem in eighth grade. Aaron Zachary Reed, the student of the year from Mandeville Junior High has done that and much more.

An accomplished musician as well as a straight-A and Duke Talent recognized student for getting a perfect score on the Explore test, Reed attends the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts two hours a week, is the drum major at MJH and has been named to the District IX Junior High Jazz Band, playing the piano. In addition to jazz, he also plays classical music, studying at NOCCA during the summer and with the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra.

But that’s not all.

Reed, son of Susan Ferrara Reed and Brent Gerard Reed of Mandeville, also is active in several honor societies at school and participates in community service for church and community.

And he played outfield/infield and second base for the first place 13-year old baseball division at Pelican Park.

An only child, Reed said, “While much of my education has taken place inside the classroom, I feel that I have also learned just as much outside of the classroom due to my own curiosities and interests.”

These interests range from science to math and music. Reed said he has not yet decided on a future career path. “I’m staying open-minded about my career choices.” He said that his congenital heart defect has instilled an interest in medicine, but he is also interested in physics. Music will also play a role in the future, either as a hobby or a part-time profession.

“I think the most important thing about my future career is that I enjoy what I do and that I get gratification and a sense of pride from my work,” Reed said.