2017 Boo Grigsby Foundation Scholarship Awardees
Cameron Alexander
High School: Brusly High School, West Baton Rouge Parish
Planned Major: Electrical Engineering
College: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Cameron told us his story isn’t quite finished yet – and we happen to agree. After learning about electricity and circuits in his AP Physics class, Cameron is inspired to become an electrical engineer. Cameron is incredibly independent and has a great drive to accomplish his goals. He decided to enroll at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette because he wants to remain close to home and feels a deep connection to the university. In the future, he hopes to utilize his career in order to help his sister, mother, and grandmother.
Elizabeth Anderson
High School: Plaquemine Senior High School, Iberville Parish
Planned Major: Biology
College: Southeastern Louisiana University
Elizabeth is a determined and intelligent student who achieves her goals with incredible direction. She has carefully considered her future career path; despite her family’s financial difficulties, she has always enjoyed helping and caring for others. Aspiring to incorporate this into her career, Elizabeth plans to major in Biology at Southeastern University. She then wants to continue her education with a master’s degree and physician assistant certification from Louisiana State University’s program at its healthcare center in New Orleans.
Elizabeth Coleman
High School: Assumption High School, Assumption Parish
Planned Major: Nursing and Pre-Med
College: Northwestern
Elizabeth is the youngest of five children, and her family has played an invaluable role in her career aspirations. Her mother is a Registered Nurse who works with first-time low income mothers. Inspired by her mother’s drive and selflessness, Elizabeth wants to become a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in pediatrics. In the future, she hopes to work in a family clinic and devote her time to helping children. Elizabeth worked tirelessly to make her dreams come true. She has maintained a 4.44 GPA and is recognized as salutatorian of her class. Additionally, she is engaged in her school community, serving in executive offices for five clubs at Assumption High School. Elizabeth also plays volleyball, softball, and tennis for her school teams. Because of these experiences, she hopes to go forward into college and lead with passion, be self-reliant, and persevere in striving to achieve her goals.
Paige Edler
High School: East St. John High School, St. John the Baptist Parish
Planned Major: Business Management
College: Louisiana State University
Paige wants to own her own marketing company in the future, opening up opportunities for businesses to show themselves to the world. Paige has demonstrated exemplary academics and leadership, earning her spot on the honor roll at the top 5% of her class. Paige has also been awarded the Outstanding Honesty and Integrity Award and multiple Student of the Year awards from her school, district, as well as Rotary Club Student of the Quarter. She has also served as a youth leader for the Iglesia Bautista Marantha, a local Hispanic church. Despite the hardships she has experienced, including becoming homeless at one point, Paige aspires to be a role model to her younger siblings, showing them that they, too, can achieve their dreams and better their future through education.
Joy Grows
High School: St. James High School, St, James Parish
Planned Major: Nursing
College: Southern University – Baton Rouge
Joy has been helpful and thoughtful ever since a young age. Wanting to incorporate these qualities into a future career, Joy aspires to become a nurse to continue caring for others. Due to a family tragedy, she and her two brothers have lived with their aunt, uncle, and two cousins ever since Joy was two years old. However, Joy is incredibly resilient and has shown great strength throughout her life. Joy is excited to see where her next adventures at Southern University take her.
Myah Johnson
High School: Woodlawn High School, East Baton Rouge Parish
Planned Major: Speech Language Pathology
College: Southeastern Louisiana University
Myah has always worked incredibly hard to achieve academic success. After being diagnosed with dyslexia, going through family trauma, and transitioning through many different schools, Myah has had to overcome many different obstacles. Despite these challenges, Myah’s personal experiences, such as her positive experiences with her own language therapist, has inspired her to pursue a career in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. As Myah has always dreamed of working with children, becoming a pathologist and audiologist will allow her to help young children who walk in her shoes.
Ali Marzoughi
High School: Tara High School, East Baton Rouge Parish
Planned Major: Petroleum Engineering
College: Louisiana State University
Ali is a dedicated, ambitious, and hardworking student, maintaining a high GPA. Following his passion for math, problem-solving, and energy, studying the oil industry at Louisiana State University is a perfect career path for Ali. In the future, Ali aspires to be a successful petroleum engineer. He also hopes to foster new environmentally-friendly methods of extracting and discovering oil here in Louisiana, so that he can work in and give back to his home state and local community.
Joi Nelson
High School: Lutcher High School, St. James Parish
Planned Major: Pre-Pharmacy
College: Southeastern Louisiana University
Joi is the picture of positivity and perseverance. She never really knew her birth mother, who passed away tragically when Joi was an infant. However, several positive female influences in her life – including her adoptive mother– helped her grow into a strong, optimistic young woman who knows what she wants and how to get there. She remains hopeful for her future, and aims to be a pharmacist one day.
Grant Oubre
High School: Berwick High School, St. Mary Parish
Planned Major: Chemical Engineering
College: Accepted to Louisiana State University and University of Louisiana at Lafayette – decision pending
Grant is a very involved and hardworking student. From taking dual enrollment courses to maintaining a 3.8 GPA, he has been a model student. Grant also participates in many activities at both his school and in his community. He is a member of his school’s baseball, basketball, and football teams. Grant is also involved in community service, helping cook and serve Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate, volunteering at the Special Olympics, teaching computer skills to the elderly, and more. Early in 2017, Grant’s father passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. Not only was he the family’s sole provider, but he was Grant’s biggest fan, attending all of his school and sporting events. He has not attended college, but wanted to see his son graduate from college. From a young age, Grant has always loved math and science. Inspired by his high school chemistry teacher, Grant aspires to become a chemical engineer in the future.
Wesley Patterson
High School: Lutcher High School, St. James Parish
Planned Major: Mass Communications
College: Louisiana State University
Wesley knows what it means to persevere through hardship and build resilience. Wesley has experienced numerous challenges since childhood, but has overcome these obstacles and faces an incredibly bright future. In the best mental, physical, and emotional health he has ever been in, Wesley is thrilled to study Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. In the future, he aspires to pursue a career that meshes both his love for journalism and music. He hopes to move to Santa Fe, California to pursue journalism with XXL Magazine, a hip-hop magazine.
Kilrain Popleon
High School: MSA-West Academy, Iberville Parish
Planned Major: History and Political Science
College: Southern University – Baton Rouge
Kilrain believes that failures are just “first attempts in learning,” and we wholeheartedly agree. Kilrain is a licensed minister of the gospel and local motivational speaker. Filled with confidence, Kilrain became the National Senior Beta President and has traveled all over the states to speak to young people, motivating children of all ages to never give up and always love themselves. Kilrain is an independent, successful, and determined student, maintaining a part-time job to finance his college career. He is thrilled to enter into a new phase of life, striving to major in history and political science. He aspires to become a high school history teacher to teach students that “they are the world tomorrow.”
Gretchen Williams
High School: West Feliciana High School, West Feliciana Parish
Planned Major: Dental Hygiene
College: Baton Rouge Community College
Gretchen got braces her freshmen year of high school, and since then, she has been fascinated with teeth. Gretchen hopes to become a certified dental assistant and study dentistry, with the dream of one day becoming a Dental Hygienist. While in a tumultuous family environment, she has found both friends and her school counselor that have encouraged, motivated, and loved her. Gretchen is incredibly hardworking, as she works four days a week and is a full-time student. In the future, she aspires to help others see the results of dentistry and offer everyone a happy smile.