BATON ROUGE, La. — Two students from the Lincoln Parish School District earned the state’s highest student honors after being named overall winners in the 2026 Louisiana Students of the Year program by the Louisiana Department of Education.
Kaejha Stewart of A.E. Phillips was selected as Louisiana’s Middle School Student of the Year, while Melissa Le of Ruston High earned the title of Louisiana High School Student of the Year.
The honors were announced during a ceremony hosted by the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at The Cook Hotel and Conference Center in Baton Rouge. The statewide program recognizes students for academic achievement, leadership, character and service.
“This is an incredible honor for these students and for our district,” Lincoln Parish Superintendent Ricky Durrett said. “Kaejha and Melissa are outstanding examples of leadership, hard work, and excellence. We are extremely proud of what they have accomplished.”
Stewart, an eighth grader at A.E. Phillips, serves as student council president and is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Junior Honor Society, Science Olympiad and MathCounts. She also participates in choir, theater and music and has performed as a soloist and pianist during school and community events. She represented her school as an eighth-grade student ambassador during back-to-school events and performed as a national anthem soloist, Patriots Day Program soloist and speaker, and pianist for her eighth-grade graduation.
Le, a senior at Ruston High, is an AP Scholar with Distinction and National Merit Commended Scholar. She serves as student body president and Louisiana Future Business Leaders of America state secretary while also earning all-state recognition in speech and debate.
Le has also become known for promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education through speaking engagements, national initiatives and her “STEM to Bloom” video series. She currently serves on the National Girls Collaborative Project board.
Her latest honor adds to an already historic accomplishment. Le was previously named Louisiana’s Middle School Student of the Year, making her one of the few students to earn the state’s top recognition at both the middle school and high school levels.
Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley praised the winners and finalists during the ceremony, which included Sanil Savita Thorat from Caddo Parish.
“The Louisiana Students of the Year program is about recognizing young people who set ambitious goals and put in the work necessary to achieve them,” Brumley said. “Sanil, Kaejha, Melissa, and each of our finalists are examples of what’s possible when students pursue excellence, serve others, and lead with purpose.”
Students from across Louisiana competed through school, district, regional and state-level competitions. Finalists represented each of the state’s eight BESE regions and were evaluated through portfolios, writing samples and interviews focused on academic achievement, leadership, communication skills and service to their communities.
Lincoln Parish Schools congratulated both students, their families, teachers and school communities following the announcement.
