CHOUDRANT, La. — Choudrant High School recognized dozens of seniors Friday morning during its annual Military and Academic Signing Ceremony, celebrating both service commitments and collegiate academic achievements inside the school’s new gym.
The ceremony began at 8 a.m. with military honorees, followed by the academic signing at 9:15 a.m.
Three students — Deacon Bergeron, Jonah Bryan and Joshua Sellers — were recognized for committing to military service, continuing what school leaders described as a longstanding tradition in the community.
“Choudrant High School has a pretty deep relationship with the armed services,” Principal Chris Jones said. “When you look back every year, we know we’re going to have a few students go into the Army, the National Guard or the Navy. It’s a tradition that ties back to the values of this community.”
Jones emphasized the generational impact of military service in Choudrant, noting that many students follow in the footsteps of parents and grandparents.
“Service runs really deep in this community,” Jones said. “There’s a sense of pride in the country, and this is an opportunity for us to spotlight these students today.”
The larger portion of the morning honored academic signees — students committing to continue their education at colleges and universities across the region and beyond.
Louisiana Tech University drew the largest group of signees, including Jackson Ambrose, Braden Bagwell, Austin Barmore, Karson Bell, Bailey Brown, Reese Brown, Jonah Bryan, Kahless Carnahan, Carson Carrico, Ivy Collinsworth, Hagen Davis, Lynlee Garrett, Piper Jackson, Cooper Johnson, Marlee Jones, Sadie Jones, Audrey Martin, Sophia McVay, Kamryn Rhodes, Jackson Smith and Everett Thorn.
The University of Louisiana-Monroe will welcome Brylea Diffey, Kamryn Green, Caroline May, Briley McGuire and Emily Snyder.
Benton Case signed with the United States Naval Academy, Judah Sharpton will attend LSU, and Madeline Chreene and Jenny Nichols signed with the University of Arkansas.
Jones said the academic signing ceremony was created about five to six years ago to give students recognition comparable to athletic signees.
“There’s always opportunities to honor athletes, and we don’t always put as much emphasis on academics,” Jones said. “This was an area where we felt like we could really honor these kids for the hard work they’ve put in for 12 or 13 years.”
The event has since become a point of pride for the school and community, highlighting students who may not always receive public recognition.
“A lot of times it’s kids who don’t get their names written in the paper,” Jones said. “This is something we’ve really hung our hat on.”
With family members, faculty and classmates in attendance, Friday’s ceremony underscored both the academic success and service-minded culture that define Choudrant High School’s graduating class.
