The fourteenth annual LaSalle Parish Scholars’ Reception date has been announced by the LaSalle Economic Development District (LEDD).

The annual event will take place on Monday night, May 5, at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary of the Jena First Baptist Church and will feature the awarding of scholarship to deserving 2025 graduates of Jena and LaSalle high schools.

Last year, more than 75 scholars were presented with 166 scholarships for a total of approximately $93,000 at the reception held each year to honor parish scholars who receive scholarships. It also honors businesses and organizations that sponsor the scholarships with their pictures featured in The Jena Times.

LEDD Executive Director Cynthia Cockerham noted the scholar reception is truly community based as local businesses and organizations fund the thousands of dollars in higher education scholarships that are awarded.

“We are really blessed here in LaSalle Parish to have such a loving and caring community of investors of education for our graduates,” Cockerham said. “Right now, we are accepting donations for the 2025 event and encourage all who are interested in participating to contact us for more details.”

To donate or to learn more about how to become involved with the LaSalle Parish Scholars’ Reception, contact LEDD at (318) 374-0117 or email info@agreaterlasalle. com.

LEDD President Walter E. Dorroh, Jr. noted that the annual event began in 2012, initiated by The GEO Group, and they, along with LEDD, have been the host of the event for the past 14 years.

“The first event was spearheaded by David Cole, a former Warden of The GEO Group,” Dorroh said. “As representatives of the business community, GEO and LEDD decided in 2012 to jointly host this event to honor both the recipients of the scholarships and our local donors. We wanted to celebrate academic excellence and challenge our best and brightest to further their education and choose to make LaSalle Parish their forever home.”

“At the first event, held May 15, 2012, we honored 26 LaSalle Parish graduates at the Jena Town Hall and celebrated with them as they received 50 scholarships totaling $34,000,” he continued.

“The local businesses, organizations and families that donate to the Scholars’ Fund have a generous history of funding local scholarships,” Dorroh concluded. “We commend them all for choosing to invest in our youth and hope that others will join us in this worthy endeavor. Academic excellence is a vital to economic and community development.”