Three St. Tammany public school students have been named the system’s 1920-21 Students of the year and will compete regionally in February.
The winners are Morgan Clay of Mayfield Elementary; Zoe Dieringer of Madisonville Junior High; and Raeden Stephens of Mandeville High School.
“I am so proud of Morgan, Zoë, and Raedan and all they have accomplished at school and in our community,” Superintendent Frank Jabbia said. “They are excellent representatives of our School System. I know as they continue in our district and beyond, they are going to keep doing what they do and will achieve extraordinary things.”
The three were selected based on their outstanding academic achievement, leadership skills, character, and service to their schools and communities, and each was chosen as a Student of the Year at the school level before being chosen district level winners by a panel of judges.
• Morgan Clay, the district’s Elementary Division Student of the Year, is a conscientious student and is very involved at school and in the community. She has participated in her school’s broadcast team, S.H.I.N.E. (Service, Honor, Inspire, Nurture, Encourage) Club, HOPE Club, cheer team, pep squad, color guard and Lego League. When not in school, she loves to dance and sing. She is also an active member of her church and the Girl Scouts. Morgan’s biggest goal in life is to change the world day by day to make it better for future generations.
• Zoë Dieringer, this year’s Middle/Junior High Student of the Year, is in fact a two-time, district-level Student of the Year. This eighth grader has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing her many passions: dance, theatre, flute, piano, writing, swimming and volunteering. At Madisonville Jr. High, she has participated in the student council, Eagle Buddies, band, and talented theater. She is a competitive dancer and has participated in the Youth American Grand Prix, Universal Ballet Competition, and American Dance Competition International Ballet Competition. She gives back to the community as a volunteer with the Northshore Humane Society. She was selected as the 2017-2018 STPPS Elementary Student of the Year and went on to win the state competition. Her aspirations are to continue to journey the road less traveled, attend Harvard University and major in Genetics while participating in the Harvard Ballet Company.
• Raedan Stephens, the district’s High School Division Student of the Year, is a senior with a wide range of skills and interests. He is a well-rounded student who not only excels academically but is also very active at school and in the community. Academically, he has earned an impressive 4.6 GPA in rigorous honors, gifted, AP, and dual enrollment courses, and he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT. He is a leader on his school campus and has been elected class president for the past three years, served on the student council, founded the Economics Club, and represented his school on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Panel. He also has participated in a wide variety of clubs and activities including the National Honor Society, Political Thinkers, tennis team and Skipper Buddies. Raedan’s extracurricular activities include woodworking, piano, horseback riding, archery, violin, and volunteering with the Northshore Humane Society and his church. He was selected as a representative on the Louisiana Youth Advisory Council, named National Merit Semifinalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, attended the Louisiana Literary Rally multiple times, and earned several industry-based certifications. He interns at a cybersecurity firm and co-owns a sustainably sourced wooden watch company. He plans to triple-major in neuroscience, computer science, and biomedical engineering with hopes to one-day own a biotech company that will allow him to aid in researching and developing devices that interface with the brain to treat various diseases.
