By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Victoria Scott of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School, Skiler Cornish of LaPlace Elementary School and Aubrey Stewart of East St. John High School have been named by the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District as Students of the Year.

“Once again, our parish has produced three wonderful students who stood out in a crowded field,” Superintendent Kevin George said. “Aubrey, Skiler and Victoria are not only leaders at their schools, but also in their communities.”

School officials said a committee evaluated students based on academic achievement, school and community service, recognition and leadership, portfolio presentation and written and verbal communication skills.

Stewart, who holds a 4.025 grade point average, is the 12th Grade Student of the Year for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools.

He scored a 31 on his ACT test — receiving a 35 in English — and a 1950 on his SAT, as well as receiving the highest score possible on his U.S. History and U.S. Government Advanced Placement exams.

Stewart, the son of Sylvia McGarry of LaPlace, has participated in several literary rally competitions, mostly in math, and in 2014 placed first in the District Beta Math Competition. He previously earned a perfect 800 on the English II Honors end-of-course test and on the Geometry Honors end-of-course test.

Stewart, a previous Eighth Grade Student of the Year, is the founder of and teacher in the East St. John High School Chess Club, and in addition to his job as a private tutor, provides free tutoring for the ACT. He has also earned VITA/TCE certification for tax preparation.

Stewart’s interests include physics, philosophy and environmental concerns and he hopes to one day establish a system of efficient recycling and help develop safer sources of energy. He has been accepted into Louisiana State University.

Cornish, the daughter of Albert and Andrea Cornish of LaPlace, is the Eighth Grade Student of the Year for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools.

A previous Fifth Grade Student of the Year, Cornish credits her parents and siblings with instilling in her the idea of “paying it forward.”

In 2014, she was the president of the Hazel Rhea Hurst Community Center Coats for Kids and the Toys for Kids drives. She has also collected food for food banks.

Cornish was the assistant vice president of the New Home Baptist Church Children’s Health Fair, and an assistant in the Lemon Community Center computer lab.

Cornish volunteers to clean up local neighborhoods, run errands for the elderly and since 2011 has tutored children in reading during summer camp. She hopes to become a pediatrician and return to LaPlace to open a family practice with her sister-in-law.

Scott, the daughter of Sharon and Lee Scott Jr. of LaPlace, is the Fifth Grade Student of the Year for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools.

A straight-A student since kindergarten, Scott received a perfect 500 on the math portion of her LEAP test in 2014 and a perfect 500 on the reading portion of her iLEAP in 2013.

Through her involvement with Girl Scouts, Scott volunteers and has participated in the Gift of Caring service project and World Thinking Day.

Scott enjoys dancing, singing, riding bikes and using her phone. She hopes to one day become the president of the United States, and is a member of her school’s 4-H club.

District Communications Specialist Jennifer Boquet said Stewart, Cornish and Scott are eligible to compete in the regional Student of the Year competition, in which winners will be announced next month.

“I have no doubt that these students will represent St. John the Baptist Parish well in the regional and state competitions,” George said.

“Kudos to their parents, teachers and administrative staffs.”