Sarah Lynn Donaldson received the Student of the Year award at St. Joseph School in Shreveport. Sarah has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her seven years at St. Joseph where she is now a fifth grade student. In addition, she has participated in Brownies, Girl Scouts, the city soccer program, baseball and swimming teams. She is on her school cheerleading squad and sings in the Christmas chorus, annual talent show and Christmas play. She is a member of the DARE program, the Quiz Bowl and KJOE, the in school television program. Sarah also works part time in the school library, and for the Bossier City Animal Shelter. She has consistently excelled in the Accelerated Reader Program, earning as much as 250 points in a nine-week period.

Sarah is the daughter of Alfred and Jennifer Donaldson of Bossier City; and, the granddaughter of Rodney and Lynn Ory of LaPlace, and Walden and Gloria Donaldson of Reserve.

The Student of the Year Awards Program is designed to recognize outstanding elementary, middle/junior high, and high school students. The program is patterned after The Teacher of the Year Awards Program, and is an excellent opportunity to recognize those students who have demonstrated excellent academic achievement, leadership ability, and citizenship. The Louisiana State Superintendent through the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education sponsors the Student of the Year Awards Program. Every public and approved non-public school in the state with students enrolled in grades 5, 8 and 12 is invited to participate.