Superintendent Charlotte D. Placide presented the Superintendent’s Ambassador Award to Glen Oaks High School senior Jeremy Herbert.  During the Regular School Board Meeting on Thursday, December 20, 2007, Superintendent Placide recognized Herbert’s achievements in the classroom, at his school and in the community.

Herbert is a leader at Glen Oaks High School.  His resume includes leading on the field as captain of the football team. He holds the rank of Cadet/Captain in the JROTC.  Herbert is also a member of student government and was selected as the student representative on the District Team for the Strategic Accountability Plan Revision Committee. 

While Jeremy is driven, he is also a young man who cares about his community.  A personal tragedy was the driving force behind his passion to bring young men together for a positive mission.  This past June, his mother was killed in a high profile crime that shocked the entire community.  As he privately dealt with his grief, Jeremy decided it was time for a change in the climate of his neighborhood.

Jeremy gathered a few classmates and together they created a mission statement, goals, objectives and standards for the new Glen Oaks High School organization, ‘Educated Young Males Against Drugs and Violence.’ The guidelines for membership are strict, they are: maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher, no suspensions, no drugs or alcohol, no violence at school or in the community, no more than 3 tardies, maintain a positive attitude, and lead by example at all times.  

The group of 30 sophomores, juniors and seniors each has one freshman male student with whom they have established a bond.  As the students explain it, the purpose of the mentor/mentee relationship is to provide role models for younger students. The older students aim to set a positive example, teach the younger students how to handle confrontation, how to study for a test, how to respect young ladies and ways to avoid trouble in the neighborhood.

While Herbert leads the group, he says it’s a team effort. “We all want to make a difference,” he said.

“This young man is an example of the type of community members we are working to shape in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.  Jeremy’s efforts to make a positive difference in his community, in the midst of personal tragedy, are remarkable. He is not only a role model to his peers, but to us all,” said Superintendent Placide.