The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Thursday, March 26, 2015 n 3H
schools West Feliciana honors Nwabueze as parish’s National Merit finalist BY HOWARD ARCENEAUX Special to The Advocate
Photo submitted by ANGELA MYLES
Smooth event in St. Helena
St. Helena Head Start held its annual Family Literacy Night on Feb. 26. The LSU Ag Center was invited to be a part of the special event. The Ag Center provided smoothies for the children and their parents. Assisting in making the smoothies on the bicycle smoothie maker is prekindergarten student TriDasia Dunn.
ST. FRANCISVILLE — West Feliciana High School senior Ngozi Nwabueze was honored at the March 17 School Board meeting for being named a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Superintendent Hollis Milton presented Nwabueze with her official National Merit Scholarship certificate and praised her for her hard work and dedication to her academics. More than 1.5 million students applied in September for National Merit consideration, which is based on the PSAT test they took as juniors that measures critical reading, mathematics and writing skills. Roughly 50,000 are selected for commendation, and of that number, 16,000 are chosen as National Merit semifinalists. In February, 15,000 students were notified that they advanced to finalist standing. Scholarship winners are notified in June and chosen from
Advocate photo by HOWARD ARCENEAUX
West Feliciana Superintendent Hollis Milton presents Ngozi Nwabueze her National Merit Scholarship finalist certificate at the School Board’s March 17 meeting. the finalists group based on their abilities, skills and accomplishments including academic records, test scores, recommendations, leadership, a biography and an essay. The National Merit Scholarships are
$2,500 apiece and are awarded to approximately 7,600 finalists. “I got a letter a few weeks ago saying I was a finalist. I was jumping up and down and when I told my parents, they
were jumping up and down,” Nwabueze said. Her parents are Dr. Nnamdi Nwabueze and Dr. Stacie Nwabueze. Ngozi Nwabueze said she hasn’t decided where she will attend college, although she’s narrowed her choices to Rice, Emory, Vanderbilt or Duke. She plans to study neuroscience or something related to psychology. “The brain and how it relates to how we are,” said Nwabueze. She leads a busy life. Besides her academics, Nwabueze is Student Government president and a member of the Interact Club, Beta Club, Quiz Bowl and Mock Trial teams. She also played soccer this year and was a volunteer coach on a 16-yearold and younger team. Nwabueze is one of four children. Her brother, Obi, is studying at Tulane Medical School, and her sister, Nkechi, is at Rice. Her younger sister, Nneka, attends West Feliciana High School.
East Feliciana elementary students tour human body exhibit Advocate staff report Students at Jackson and Clinton elementary schools were “digested” through the human body during a health program March 9-10. More than 600 students toured the Louisiana Body Walk, a traveling exhibit that visits elementary schools throughout Louisiana. Through a hands-on approach, the Body Walk teaches children healthy habits, such as choosing nutritious foods, by showing them how their choices affect their body, said Leanna Cupit, LSU Agricultural Center
East Feliciana Parish agent. The Louisiana Body Walk is one of three components of Smart Bodies, a comprehensive health program that provides nutrition education and promotes physical activity. The Smart Bodies Program is entering its 10th year. “Body Walk engages students by showing them how to be healthy,” Cupit said. “By being actively involved, students remember the behaviors and encourage others to be healthy as well.” The Body Walk features an 11-stop tour of the body includ-
ing the Smart Bodies Cafeteria, brain, mouth, stomach, small intestine, heart, lungs, bones, muscles, skin and pathway for life stations. “The children love the Body Walk because they learn how to make healthy lifestyle choices in a fun way,” she said. “They learn what foods are good for them and how to be physically active. “We appreciate the support of our school volunteers and the community organizations that assisted with the exhibit and made the Body Walk and the overall Smart Bodies Program
possible.” The Smart Bodies Program was developed to address increasing national concerns about the lack of physical activity and the declining nutritional status of children. In Louisiana, childhood obesity has doubled in the past 20 years, and almost one in three school-aged children is overweight or obese, according to a news release. For information on the Smart Bodies Program and the Louisiana Body Walk, call (225) 6833101 or visit the Smart Bodies website at www.smartbodies. org.
East Feliciana High School student Jordan Davis teaches Jackson Elementary School students about making healthy choices March 9 during the Louisiana Body Walk. Photo provided by JON LOVEALL