Apr 18, 2024
Woodlawn High School’s Talented Theatre students have once again left their mark on the cinematic landscape with their latest creation, The Never Ending Duel. This captivating short film, written and directed by Woodlawn High School Senior Ava Jones, has garnered accolades at the esteemed Film Prize Jr. Film Festival and Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Ava Jones, a senior in Woodlawn High School’s Gifted and Talented Theatre program, showcased her exceptional creativity and directorial expertise in bringing The Never Ending Duel to life. With her vision and dedication, Ava crafted every aspect of the film, from its inception to the final storyboard. Her previous involvement as the lead character in Woodlawn High School’s 2023 Audience Choice Award-winning film, Reap What You Sow, underscores her remarkable talent and commitment to the craft.
Beyond her achievements in filmmaking, Ava’s academic excellence and passion for creative writing have earned her acceptance into 15 colleges nationwide. With plans to pursue a degree in Creative Writing, Ava has already been awarded over $1.16 million in four-year merit scholarships, a testament to her outstanding achievements and bright future ahead.
Ava Jones proudly shows off her award at the film festival.
“The students worked incredibly hard on their film; everything that you see on screen was completed by a student. Creating a film of any length is a difficult process, just completing a film is a major accomplishment. Seeing the culmination of all of their work, the final realized piece, was incredible,” stated Ms. Mullins, Woodlawn’s Talented Theatre teacher. “Being able to sit in the audience and watch film after incredible film and knowing that they were all created by the students sitting around me from all over the state was an amazing experience and one that I hope we can bring to more students next year!”
The success of The Never Ending Duel wouldn’t have been possible without the collaborative efforts of the Louisiana Shakespeare Company, particularly the invaluable contributions of Liz Odom, the head of fight choreography. Their expertise elevated the film’s fight sequences, adding depth and authenticity to the storytelling.
As the virtual Film Prize Jr. Festival unfolds, viewers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the diverse array of student-created films, including The Never Ending Duel. Woodlawn High School encourages the community to watch the films and cast their votes for their favorites, supporting their quest for the Audience Choice Award.
Join the excitement of the virtual film festival by visiting https://filmprizejr.com/festival/ and exploring the 96 submissions before Monday, April 22nd, 2024. Let’s rally behind Woodlawn High School and celebrate the talent and creativity of Ava Jones and her fellow students.
Apr 11, 2024
Jiri Falowo and Devin Bailey get ready for their presentation.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s ELA Curriculum Team, in collaboration with the Division of Schools, recently hosted the 3rd annual EBRPSS High School District-wide Poetry Competition. Among the participants were three exceptionally talented student poets, writers, and performers from Woodlawn High School: Devin Bailey, Jiri Falowo, and Sydni Smith. This competition, which welcomed entries from all EBRPSS high school students, served as a culmination of the individual school-wide Poetry Slam competitions held across local schools.
Woodlawn High School hosted its Poetry Preview on March 6th, showcasing the remarkable talents of its students. Despite having only three contestants, the quality of their performances stood out, earning them spots in the District Poetry Slam held on March 28th. These three winners from Woodlawn’s Poetry Slam advanced to compete in the district-wide event, representing their school with pride and passion.
“Although Woodlawn students did not bring home the win, I am beyond elated to see these students represent our school in such a professional manner,” said Ms. Durbin, Woodlawn High School’s Literacy Coach.
Devin Bailey and Sydni Smith are all smiles at the district poetry competition.
While Woodlawn High School students may not have secured the top prize in the district-wide competition, the participation of Devin Bailey, Jiri Falowo, and Sydni Smith exemplified the school’s commitment to fostering creativity and artistic expression among its students. Beyond the accolades, the experience of sharing their poetry on such a platform undoubtedly left a lasting impression on these young talents. The event not only showcased their skills but also provided an enriching opportunity for personal growth and self-expression. Woodlawn High School celebrates its students’ achievements and looks forward to continuing to support their artistic endeavors in the future.
Apr 9, 2024
Woodlawn High School’s Talented Visual Art students, Cameron Rice, Noor Akram, and Lacie Sierra, recently showcased their exceptional artwork at the prestigious Real Life Experience Art Show hosted by the Baton Rouge Gallery. Their participation in this esteemed event not only highlights their artistic aptitude but also underscores the school’s commitment to nurturing creative talent.
At the reception held last Wednesday evening, the talent and dedication of these three students were duly recognized. Noor Akram’s captivating painting (pictured above) caught the eye of the jurors, earning her a well-deserved Honorable Mention. Her artwork resonated with viewers, showcasing her unique perspective and artistic sensibility.
Lacie Sierra proudly displays her “Best in Show” award.
Furthermore, Lacie Sierra’s mixed media drawing stood out among the impressive array of artworks, earning her the coveted title of “Best in Show.” Lacie’s ability to seamlessly blend various mediums speaks volumes about her skill and innovation as an artist.
“I am very proud of the creativity and hard work Cameron, Noor, and Lacie have put into their artwork this year,” stated Mr. Roper, Woodlawn High Talented Visual Art teacher.
As these talented individuals continue to pursue their passion for art, their achievements serve as an inspiration to their peers and a testament to the transformative power of artistic expression. Woodlawn High School takes great pride in celebrating the success of Cameron, Noor, and Lacie, and looks forward to witnessing their future accomplishments in the world of art.
Mar 25, 2024
Each week the Panther Play by Play will review the athletic contests from the previous week and look forward to the coming week’s action.
Want to come out and cheer on the Panthers? Tickets for all home events can be purchased online.
Bowling:
Four Panther bowlers, Aubrey Bratkowski, Henry Bratkowski, John Cador, and Keylen Sonnier, continue to prepare for the individual state championships.
Next up for Bowling: The four Panther bowlers will be in action on Friday, April 5th at All-Star Lanes in Baton Rouge.
Tennis
Our Panther tennis team faced Parkview Baptist at Highland Road Park on Monday. Both our boys and girls teams fell in tight matches. Our boys were led by Jacob Aime and Sam Marino, who won their first court doubles match by the score of 6-3, 6-4.
Next up for Tennis: The Panther tennis teams will play Lutcher on the 25th at Lutcher High and EA on the 27th at Highland Road Tennis Center. Both matches will start at 3 pm.
Track
Our track team hosted the LA National Guard Woodlawn Invitational on the 21st. Our boys’ team came in first, and the girls’ team came in 4th.
For the boys, senior Alex Collins came first in the shot put, senior Khamory Gipson came first in the discus, and senior D’Kobe Chesterfield came first in the javelin. Shot – AJ
Senior Darius Chesterfield placed first in the 400 meters and sophomore Liam Dowdy placed first in the 3200 meters. Our 4×200 (Couren Norman, Jay’Cob Jolla, Darius Chesterfield, Cayden Randall), 4×400 (Couren Norman, D’Kobe Chesterfield, Kydell Miner, Darius Chesterfield), and 4×800 (Darius Chesterfield, Kydell Miner, Harlom Turner, Brennen Lamotte) relay teams all placed first as well.
For the girls, junior Lillie Allen placed first in the pole vault and sophomore Angel Sanders-Green placed first in the 400 meters.
All times and distances can be found at https://www.athletic.net/team/18332/track-and-field-outdoor/2024.
Next up for Track: Our track team will compete at Brusly on the 27th.
Baseball
The Panthers unfortunately lost to Maurepas 10-5 on the 18th, and then to French Settlement 13-3 on the 20th.
On the 22nd, the team rallied for a 15-9 win against Slaughter Community Charter, but they faced another close loss to Family Christian Academy on the 23rd (5-4).
Next up for Baseball: Our baseball team will play at Zachary on the 26th at 6 pm, and then at home on the 27th (vs. Madison Prep at 3:30 pm) and 28th (vs. Zachary at 4 pm).
Softball
A week of rain led to all softball games being rained out. Our Lady Panthers will begin district play next week.
Next up for Softball: The Lady Panthers will travel to Central on the 25th, Zachary on the 26th, and then will play their final district contest on the 27th versus either Liberty or Scotlandville. Woodlawn will then host White Castle on the 28th at 4 pm.
Powerlifting
Our Panther Powerlifting team competed at the state meet over the weekend. For the boys, junior Dwayne Beverly came in 6th place in the 275 lb weight class, senior CJ May came in 2nd place in the SHW class, and junior Rashad Batiste won the state championship title in the 198 lb class.
We also had 2 girls bring home state titles – junior Kennedi Kullman in the 97 lb class and senior Jadyn Barner in the 114 lb class. Junior Amy Kirk placed 3rd in the 165 lb class. Congratulations Panthers!
