by Kyle Roberts
The Ruston High School Alumni Association Board of Directors and Awards Committee announced the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients on its social media avenues Monday .
An awards committee comprised of members of the RHS Alumni Association took nominations over the past month and then met last week to determine this year’s honorees.
“This year’s award winners are graduates ranging from the 1950s through 2010,” said Ruston High Alumni Association Awards Committee Chairperson Heather Reeder. “They represent the best of the Bearcat Nation–tradition, excellence and loyalty. These values transcend multiple generations of former Bearcats. Each one of them left their mark on Ruston High and have gone on to inspire others in their careers and communities.
“We opened nominations online for the first time in August as we moved our operations to the digital world. Because we have not had our awards luncheon since 2017, we reviewed individuals who were previously nominated along with new submissions. Overall, I believe the committee was excited with the submissions and we are proud that this is the group of individuals we are getting to honor as we bring back this Bearcat tradition.”
The five Distinguished Alumni include Dr. Pat Garrett (Class of 1957), Robert Shadoin (Class of 1971), Rickey Burton (Class of 1974), Malcolm Butler (Class of 1989) and Mandy Russell Brown (Class of 1995).
“It’s a humbling feeling to be included among this group of alumni,” said Mandy Russell Brown. “Ruston High School has so many deserving graduates, and I am proud to be considered among this prestigious group. It’s an honor to be able to contribute to Lincoln Parish Schools given all that our school system, specifically Ruston High, poured into me during my years in school.”
“Ruston High is near and dear to my heart so this is an honor I truly cherish,” said Malcolm Butler. “I am humbled to be included in such a wonderful class of individuals. I owe a debt of gratitude to so many people who had a positive impact on my professional journey, including the teachers and administrators during my days at Ruston High. And I appreciate the Ruston High Alumni Association and the Awards Committee for selecting me.”
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Under 40 is Carlos Wilson (Class of 2010), while the Current RHS Teacher is Walter Moss and the Retired RHS Teacher Kay White.
“Our two educators, Walter Moss and Kay White, have influenced so many students in their time at RHS,” said Reeder. “I have had the privilege of working with both of them and have such admiration for their dedication to Ruston High students. Personally, Walter and Kay have been mentors for me as a teacher and are so deserving of this recognition. Having grown up in Ruston as a 3rd generation Bearcat, I am so thrilled we are honoring Dr. Patrick Garrett as the Garrett family and Ruston High go hand-in-hand.”
The recipients will be honored at the RHS Alumni Association Luncheon on Friday, November 1 at the Davison Athletics Complex. Tickets are on sale for $35 and can be purchased at bearcatalum.org. Deadline is October 23.
They will also be recognized at the homecoming football game that same night.
Both Brown and Reeder also spoke about the importance of staying connected to the school through various ways, including the Ruston High School Alumni Association.
“Ruston High is a school rich in tradition,” said Brown. “This tradition flourishes because of the support that RHS receives from its alumni. This support can be financial, attending events, or just being present with encouraging words. Alumni support enables Ruston High to remain amongst the best in Louisiana.”
“Ruston HIgh School is unparalleled when it comes to what we offer our students–inside and outside of the classroom,” said Reeder. “Our Bearcats are located all over the world and take with them the values instilled while walking the halls of RHS. I think alumni staying involved after graduation shows current students and their families how much pride we have in what our school has to offer.
“Our community involvement from alumni helps us with providing scholarships for students, grants for classroom teachers, and support for extracurricular groups like sports and the arts. Our alumni truly take to heart the idea of being “firmly founded.” They are a key part of why Ruston High School has continued to excel for over a century.”
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