Pearl River High Student Named State
Student of the Year
A Pearl River High School senior, Jon Mitchell, was named Louisiana State Student of the Year in the High School Division April 16 at the annual Louisiana Department of Education event in the State Museum in Baton Rouge.
There were 18 regional finalists in this year's Student of the Year recognition program, and Mitchell was one of the six in the high school division. Mitchell represented the St. Tammany Parish Public School System's Student of the Year in the High School category, while Chase LeMaire of Fontainebleau Junior High was the District Student of the Year selection in the eighth grade Middle / Junior High Division and Anthony Dumas of Bayou Lacombe Junior High was selected District Student of the Year for the fifth grade Elementary Division.
LeMaire was also chosen as a Regional finalist in the state Student of the Year eighth grade program and among those honored at the Tuesday night event in Baton Rouge.
“We all are very excited about Jon’s selection as Louisiana State High School Student of the Year, a very deserving recognition for this outstanding student,” said Superintendent W. L. “Trey” Folse, III. “He certainly represents the best and brightest of St. Tammany Parish Public School System students, and is an excellent example of what you can achieve with hard work and dedication.”
Mitchell is the son of Mack and Salome Mitchell of Pearl River. Active with the Talented Theater Program at Pearl River High, he has also interned at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center where he worked on submarine navigation software programs. A Project Manager in the Naval Research Science & Engineering Apprentice Program, Mitchell developed a graphical user interface for Naval Research Lab which is used on submarines. He hopes to continue working in research to aid the U.S. Armed Forces and will attend Louisiana State University Honors College to study computer science.
Last month he was one of two Louisiana students to take part in the U. S. Senate Youth Program. As part of that program, he not only received a $5,000 scholarship and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, but he and other Senate Youth Program participants had a chance to meet with Senators, military officials, and President Obama.
