Mar 28, 2022
Senior Carolina Alvarado has brought the first State Championship in the sport of Powerlifting to Woodlawn High School. The Panthers have participated in Powerlifting for less than a decade, but Panther lifters have consistently qualified for the State Meet. However, no lifter has been able to be crowned State Champion until now.
Carolina Alvarado displays her State Championship medal.
Alvarado, who placed second in Regionals, competed in the 97 pound weight class. She posted three personal records on the way to the state championship. Her squat of 210 pounds and bench of 90 pounds each bested her personal records by five pounds. However, it was her dead lift that was the difference between first and second place. Alvarado had a previous record of 235 pounds. Lifting that weight again would have placed her second in the competition. First-year coach Knute Douglas knew she could lift more weight and went for the State Championship by listing 275 pounds as her final attempt. When Alvarado successfully lifted the weight, Woodlawn High had it’s first Powerlifting State Champion.
Alvarado was not the only bright spot in Panther powerlifting this season. For the first time in the history of the school, the boys’ team won the Regional Championship. The Panthers also placed 5th overall at the state competition. The Panthers were led by senior Amani Givens, who finished runner-up in the 198 pound weight class.
Amani Givens prepares to squat at the State Championship Meet.
Coach Douglas was extremely proud of all of his lifters this season.
“Year one has been a great ride, filled with fantastic moments,” said Douglas. “This year’s boys and girls teams have seen lots of first-time achievements in school history and will be a great foundation to build upon moving forward as we strive to make Woodlawn High School Powerlifting a Championship Program.”
Woodlawn was represented by four girls and five boys at this year’s State Meet. In addition to Alvarado, Krystel Amo (105 pound weight class), Celine Thomas (148 pound weight class), and Marie Sierra (165 pound weight class) also competed. All three Lady Panthers had top ten finishes. Freshman Amo finished eighth and juniors Thomas and Sierra finished fifth and fourth.
Willie Nunnery (123 pound weight class), Mason Watson (198 pound weight class), Hunter Thomas (242 pound weight class), and Devyn Jones (275 pound weight class) joined Givens to represent the Panthers. Juniors Nunnery and Jones placed sixth and fifth, and seniors Thomas and Watson each placed fourth.
Oct 29, 2021
Seema Kawji has been named Woodlawn High’s 2021-2022 Student of the Year. During her four years at Woodlawn High School, Seema has maintained a 4.6 GPA whilst in the Great Scholars program. She is currently ranked first in the 2022 graduating class. She has participated in soccer all four years and is adding Cross Country, Powerlifting, and Track to her list of extracurriculars at Woodlawn High School.
Seema is a three-time All-District Soccer player.
Like the rest of the graduating class of 2022, Seema has been forced to adapt to changes in education due to Covid-19. During her sophomore year, Seema was a member of the Beta Club and a member of the National Honor Society. Seema has once again joined NHS.
Despite the hardships that students have faced, Seema has managed to maintain a spectacular academic record. She has earned an A in 53 of 54 classes while at Woodlawn High. Her attitude and work ethic, along with her intellectual abilities, contribute to her amazing transcript.
After speaking with Seema’s teachers, it was quite obvious why she was chosen as Student of the Year.
Seema spending time with students at Woodlawn Elementary.
“Seema is one of the most responsible and consistent students I have ever taught. I am honored to have taught her in two courses, Biology 1 Great Scholars and AP Environmental Science,” said Ms. Ridgdell. “ Seema currently holds the highest grade in my APES class. This is a flipped classroom, so students are expected to watch videos of lectures and take notes so that we can investigate and experiment during class. Despite all the constraints on her time, she stays up to date with her notes, and demonstrates understanding of a topic that requires a global viewpoint.”
Ms. Ridgdell’s sentiment was echoed by Ms. Goins.
“I would like to say that Seema is a young woman who is self-possessed, self-assured, and filled with integrity! She is one of the best students I have had the pleasure of teaching.”
After graduation, Seema plans to major in Kinesiology and eventually become a physical therapist.
Oct 13, 2021
Students, have you failed a course and you want to recover it before its too late? See your school counselor for information about our new Back on Track program!
“Back on Track” is a credit recovery initiative out of the Office of Graduation Excellence. “Back On Track” is designed for high school students to recover .5 or 1 Carnegie unit during a 9 week grading period. Students will receive blended instruction each evening, direct instruction and EdGenuity (self-paced). Teachers will differentiate instruction for students while remediating and ensuring high levels of engagement.
Instruction will be provided by teachers across EBRPSS. Students will receive a hot meal each evening at 5 pm and will begin class promptly at 5:30 pm and end nightly at 7:30 pm. Students will receive transportation from homeschool to designated sites and from designated sites to the students’ home.
Students interested in participating in the Back on Track program should reach out to their School Counselor. School Counselor information can be located by clicking here.
To see more information about the initiative, please click here.
Sep 30, 2021
Upcoming Events for Future Gifted, Talented, & Great Scholars Academy Panthers:
- WHS Future Panther Open House – Thursday, October 7 from 8:00-11:00AM in the WHS Library
- Picnic in the Park – October 29 from 10:00AM-2:00PM at the BREC Park on the corner of Tiger Bend & Jones Creek Rd.
Welcome to Woodlawn High School! Established in 1949, Woodlawn High School has remained a cornerstone of the southeast Baton Rouge community and ranks among the top high schools located in East Baton Rouge Parish. The 57 acres campus encompasses over 64 instructional areas, including 2D and 3D art studios, sewing and culinary arts labs, a multimedia computer lab, career resource center, stadium and athletic complex.
Woodlawn High School is the fastest growing high school in the district with over 1400 students! Scholars in grades 9-12 can participate in specialized academic and arts programs, including: Gifted, Great Scholars Academy, Scholastic Academy, Talented Music, Talented Theatre, and Talented Visual Arts. With an average class size of 20 or less, these academic programs offer scholars an individualized and differentiated education that features inquiry-based learning, Socratic seminars, and capstone projects.
Talented visual art and theatre classes feature a 12:1 student-teacher ratio. Talented Music students meet with their Talented teachers in small groups or pairs. All Talented classes are taught by professional artists, musicians, and thespians allowing Talented students to make professional connections, advance their artistic talent and further develop their career portfolios.
Gifted and Talented scholars are able to jumpstart their college career by earning college credit in one or more of the 30+ Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses offered at WHS. Through our one-of-a-kind, personalized college and career advising program, Gifted and Great Scholars Academy students are able to plan and prepare for a highly affordable, often debt-free, path to college that matches their unique interests and goals.
Gifted and Talented students achieve success at top-tier state and national institutions. Gifted and Talented alum are currently enrolled in nationally competitive programs at Cornell University, Rice University, University of Notre Dame, and the California Institute of Art. Popular in-state selections for students include LSU A&M Ogden Honors College, Louisiana Tech Honors College, and Xavier University of New Orleans. Talented musicians perform with the LSU Golden Band from Tiger Land and the Human Jukebox at Southern University and A&M College.
Gifted and Talented student athletes have received scholarship offers to some of the nation’s most competitive universities. From first time athletes to life-long players, at Woodlawn High School, student athletes of all of levels develop the athletic skill, competitive spirit, and character necessary to succeed on and off the field.
At Woodlawn High School, student life centers around leadership, philanthropy, and special interest groups with over 75 student organizations and athletic teams. Gifted and Talented scholars often join more than one organization, participate in a sport, are members of a performance group, and/or hold a job outside of school. Gifted and Talented scholars are celebrated for their accomplishments within the school and in the community.
Please visit www.woodlawnhighbr.org to learn more about Gifted and Talented Programs at Woodlawn High School. At the bottom of the homepage, fill out the form under “Contact Us” for more information or to schedule a school tour.
For an overview of all of the programs available at Woodlawn High, please view the Gifted & Talented Programs Introduction Video on our YouTube Channel.
Collins has been a hot name on the recruiting trail for a year and a half now — with 22 offers — but particularly with pushes the past month and a half from hometown LSU and nearby Florida State.
Matthews has narrowed down a list of 33 scholarship offers to three finalists in Texas, Tennessee and Michigan.
