Three Webster Parish students were recognized by the Webster Parish School Board on Monday, June 1, for earning college credentials before receiving their high school diplomas.
The board honored Layla Garrett of Minden High School and Taylor Roberson of North Webster High School for earning associate degrees from Bossier Parish Community College while still enrolled in high school. Bryce Parker of Lakeside Junior/Senior High School was recognized for earning a technical diploma from Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College before graduating.
School principals highlighted the accomplishments of each student during the recognition ceremony.
Minden High School Principal Dr. Ben Bower outlined Garrett’s long list of academic and extracurricular achievements.
A member of the National Honor Society and a graduate ranked among the top 15 students in her class, Garrett earned Mastery scores on the LEAP 2025 assessments in English I, U.S. History, Algebra I, and Biology. She also earned an Advanced score in English II.
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Garrett participated in the Talented Arts program and earned industry credentials in Information Technology and ProStart while completing her associate degree through BPCC.
Bower shared praise from Talented Arts teacher Jennifer Heard.
“Jennifer Heard said that this is probably the most talented person she’d dealt with in almost 30 years of teaching art classes,” Bower said.
After listing Garrett’s achievements, he concluded, “So that is our Layla Garrett.”
North Webster High School Principal John Lyons described Roberson as a student who challenged herself academically from an early age.
“We also, at North Webster High School, had a student who took her studies very seriously: Miss Taylor Roberson,” Lyons said.
He explained that Roberson began dual-enrollment coursework during the spring semester of her sophomore year after she and her parents decided she was ready for a greater academic challenge.
“The next year, they mapped out a plan for what she needed to take to be the first student from NWHS to graduate with an associate degree,” Lyons said.
According to Lyons, the path required determination and perseverance.
“Taylor showed extreme perseverance the past couple of years. It wasn’t always easy, but she had a goal and kept pushing toward it,” he said.
Roberson graduated magna cum laude and was active in both the school’s band and art programs.
Lakeside Junior/Senior High School Principal Ashley Hooter recognized Parker for completing a technical diploma in welding while still in high school.
“I am proud to tell you about and to recognize Bryce Parker as an outstanding academic and career achievement,” Hooter said.
Parker began pursuing the credential during his junior year and became only the second student in Lakeside history to earn a technical diploma before graduating from high school.
“This accomplishment is especially noteworthy because Bryce is only the second student in Lakeside history to achieve this,” Hooter said. “The first student to achieve this, however, was his brother, making this a remarkable milestone for the Parker family and Lakeside High School.”
Hooter noted that Parker had already secured employment before graduating. (There is no photo available as he was at work.)
“Bryce left school with a job, and we’re very proud of him,” she said.
The recognition highlighted the growing opportunities available to Webster Parish students through dual-enrollment and career and technical education programs. By earning college degrees and workforce credentials before high school graduation, Garrett, Roberson, and Parker have already taken significant steps toward their future educational and career goals.