By Kyle Roberts
Already proven both a standout student and athlete, Ruston High senior defensive-end Ahmad Breaux was given permission to graduate early to head down to Louisiana State University, where he will begin classes today.
Breaux was made an official graduate on Friday, Jan. 12, and said he is thankful for Ruston High for allowing him the opportunity to graduate early and start in the spring semester to ready himself for the Tigers football squad that he signed with back in December.
“I feel like it really shows that they care,” Breaux said of the Ruston administration. “They cared enough about my career and my playing career in getting started college in early, and it really meant a lot to me.”
For Ruston High principal Dan Gressett, it was a no-brainer to allow him to graduate early given Breaux’s commitment to academics.
“He’s taken care of business in the classroom,” Gressett said. “He’s a high honor graduate. He was willing to put in extra work when seniors normally go on partial days in their last year. He’s an unbelievable kid.”
Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh echoed Gressett’s praise for Breaux’s academic excellence.
“Ahmad has definitely earned this opportunity to go ahead and get to work this spring at LSU so they can evaluate him and see if he fits into their plans for the upcoming season,” Baugh said. “He will have a head start on the players coming in during the summer and fall. We are all very proud of him for sure and wish him the very best.”
With classes starting today for Breaux, the computer-science major is ready for the new challenge ahead of him, and he credits Ruston High’s standards of excellence for preparing him for his next chapter.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Breaux said of being at LSU. “Ruston is very rigorous school; it has surely gotten me even more prepared for college. I really think Ruston prepares you for life and and careers beyond high school.”
