LIVINGSTON, La. — The November 20 Livingston Parish School Board meeting was met with a packed house as accomplished students, smiling teachers, and proud parents gathered to witness the honoring of several student contest winners and cadet champions.
Before the recognitions, Superintendent Joe Purvis shared updated statistics and ratings regarding the 2025 status of several schools in the parish. Overall, the state score increased from 90.9 to 92.7, placing Livingston Parish schools in ninth place statewide. Four schools improved from C to B letter grades, and six schools increased by four or more points, leading to 27 schools earning “Top Gains” status in the state’s progress index.
This score is vital to the continued prosperity and educational quality offered to students across the parish because, Purvis said, “Any time a school grows, it means a lot. It takes a lot to make a school grow in those larger categories.”
Following the update, the results of the Livingston Parish Schools Christmas card art contest were announced. Four students received certificates of recognition for their artwork. The front cover design was created by Gabriella Espinoza of Albany Middle School. Inside artwork awards were presented to Gabrielle Presas of Juban Parc Junior High, Ean Boyd of South Walker Elementary, and Rosalie Orefice of Denham Springs High School.
The cards, according to Purvis, are set to “go out to every district across the state… as well as some other individuals here in the parish. So [the students’] artwork will be going all over the place” this holiday season.
Lt. Col. Jason K. Tubbs, USMC (Ret.), Senior Marine Instructor for Walker High School’s MCJROTC program (the Devil Cats), then addressed the board, discussing the preparation and performance of the 2025 All-Services National Raider Championship team. JROTC is, according to Tubbs, “probably one of the most physically difficult things that Walker High School offers.”
In addition to rigorous training, the competition itself included five team events and one solo event, all held in Molena, Georgia, in 34-degree weather near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
The team events and the Walker High Devil Cats’ placements were as follows: The Gauntlet (1st), Physical Team Test (2nd), Cross Country Rescue (2nd), 4K Team Mountain Run (4th), and the One-Rope Bridge (7th). Each event presented unique challenges, and, as Tubbs explained, “everything is 100% a team, so the time doesn’t finish until the last person crosses the line.” The team’s performance reflected their dedication and teamwork.
According to Tubbs, the Devil Cats often compete against military academies that are able to selectively recruit their top cadets, while high school programs may draw from a pool of 150 to 160 students, with only about 20 qualifying for this level of competition.
The solo event, known as the Ultimate Raider, pits the top cadets from each team against one another in a 1.5-mile ruck run on an obstacle-laden course. Walker High’s Braiden Manuel and Sarah Duncan placed third and fourth, respectively, in that competition.
After showing an inspiring video highlighting the team’s training and achievements, Tubbs thanked the school board for the recognition, saying, “Thank you for recognizing these cadets, because they’re representing Louisiana at the highest levels.”
