By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — A sea of Ruston red packed the Davison Athletic Complex Friday as the Ruston High School Alumni Association honored multiple distinguished alumni and faculty members during its annual awards luncheon.
In total, eight total Bearcats were honored on the day, including:
- Distinguished Current Educator: Kelsey Whitlock
- Distinguished Retired/Former Educator: Tommy Hay
- Distinguished Alumi: Reggie McLeroy
- Distinguished Alumi: Jeffery Miller, Jr.
- Distinguished Alumi: Richard Raue
- Distinguished Alumi: Pamela Stewart
- Young Alumni of Distinction: David Cole
- Young Alumni of Distinction: Dr. Trey Hanna
Alumni Association President Heather Hay Reeder opened the day with a welcome and brought RHS Student Council Vice-President Taylor Roller to give the opening prayer.
Following remarks from Principal Dan Gressett about the current state of Ruston High School, the award winners were honored individually and each gave their own speeches.
“When I first came to Ruston High, the principal at the time introduced me and said that while I wasn’t from here originally, it was okay because they were going to make me a Bearcat,” Whitlock said after being presenting with the Distinguished Current Educator award. “And 20-year-old me at the time didn’t believe it, but 15 years later, I’m still here. And I’m really thankful to have the opportunity to teach at Ruston High all this time. I work with some of the greatest teachers who are some of my closest friends.”
Reggie McLeroy of the Class of 1980 gave thanks first to Jesus and then to a host of others that were integral in his life journey, including his former coaches Robert “Demp” Smith and Howard Whitlock, friends John Young and Wendell Crowe, and his wife Karmyn.
“Wearing that “R” across your chest — that means the world,” McLeroy said. “We represent a good community in this city and great school. When I played basketball (at Ruston High), we used to run through a giant “R” outside the locker room and onto the court, and that was one of the most exciting things you could do as a basketball player. I was thankful to be able to come back and be a teacher and a coach. Those things mean a lot to me. And this statement is so true: Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.”
Dr. Trey Hanna spoke about how he arrived in Ruston as a Katrina evacuee and made the city his home ever since.
“Standing here amongst so many familiar faces and teachers who shaped my life — it’s a pretty special feeling,” Hanna said. “Hurricane Katrina hit St. Bernard Parish really hard, and our family lost everyitng except our truck and teh camper that we had to tow behind. We ended up living in Lincoln Parish Park for about a year while we searched for a house, and I started Ruston High in September of that year. Ruston High welcomed me. One person stands out — my band director, Mr. Walter Moss. He went the extra mile to find a drum so I could be in our marching band. That gesture meant the world to me — it gave me a place to belong.”
Todd DeMoss closed out the day by talking more about the alumni association and the importance of joining.
For more information on the Ruston High Alumni Association visit https://www.bearcatalum.org.
