Front row, left to right: Allie Sattler (Pleasant Hill High), Caroline Matthews (Florien Elementary), Victoria Arnold (Pleasant Hill High), Valen Crittenden (Zwolle High). Back row, left to right: Haden Ezernack (Ebarb High), Joshua Maxie (Florien High), Jacob Heard (Many High), Julie Barrios (Converse High). (Click on photo to download larger image.)

News Release Distributed 11/25/09

All eight students in Sabine Parish who received the Discovering Tomorrow’s Leaders awards, a program sponsored by Chesapeake Energy, are members of 4-H.

Discovering Tomorrow’s Leaders is designed to recognize and reward local school students for their citizenship and community involvement.

The winners were honored at their respective schools, and each school received a laptop computer. The winners were:

Victoria Arnold, Pleasant Hill High School, who serves on the state 4-H Food and Fitness Board and recently won the state competition in FFA for public speaking.

Julie Barrios, Converse High School, who has served as the Northwest Region’s 4-H representative on the state executive board and is current state 4-H citizenship board chairm.

Valen Crittenden, Zwolle High School, who has been an active member of Students Against Drunk Drivers, FCA, Future Business Leaders of America, Library Club and Prom Committee.

Haden Ezernack, Ebarb High School, who is an FFA officer and was on the first team from Louisiana to compete in agronomy at the National FFA Convention. He also attended the Valley Electric Co-Op Washington, D.C., educational trip and the National Land Grazing Conference in St. Louis, Mo.

Jacob Heard, Many High School, who tutors classmates in chemistry, algebra and Spanish and helps raise money for the Lions Camp, Operation Christmas Child and Toys For Tots. He also has been a Student Council member and class vice president.

Caroline Matthews, Florien Elementary, who has been an officer in her local 4-H club and has attended 4-H Camp Grant Walker and the 4-H Fashion Camp. She has won first place in the 4-H Cookery Contest, 4-H Fashion Review and the 4-H Sew with Cotton contests.

Joshua Maxie, Florien High School, who serves at FFA vice president and placed at the state level in the floriculture competition. He is Florien 4-H parliamentarian and received a blue ribbon at 4-H University and has served on the state 4-H Food and Fitness Board.

Allie Sattler, Pleasant Hill High School, who has earned blue ribbons for four years at 4-H University and has earned a blue ribbon in FFA dairy judging. She is also a member of FCA and cheer captain.

The students were selected from more than 170 nominations and judged on qualities of leadership, character, volunteerism and a sense of community.

In addition, the Chesapeake Energy Corporation awarded two of the students new laptop computers. In a drawing from the pool of eight, the two students selected for the laptop computers were Crittenden and Matthews.

"This is so cool! I love my new laptop," Matthews said. "I thank Chesapeake Energy for honoring all of us."

Mary Ann Van Osdell