The Louisiana Models of Excellence initiative was created in an effort to acknowledge, honor and spotlight schools serving as exemplary models for implementing the LDOE'S Believe to Achieve educational priorities that leads to the advancement of student success. 

The award was given to RPSB'S Pre-Educator Pathway Program. This program provides students, who want to become teachers, early opportunities to gain experience as well as college credits. Students can begin this program as soon as the sixth grade and can start to begin the process in becoming future educators to teach at schools in Rapides Parish. 

Jeff Powell, Rapides Parish School Board's Superintendent says "We have a lot of great students in our schools right now. Students in our high schools, our middle schools, our elementary school, who already know that they want to be an educator, so they give everything that they have to be successful and those schools prosper as a result."

Director of the Pre-Educator Pathway Program Maegan Schopper also spoke on the benefit of being in the program. She says "This program's initiative is to "Grow Your Own" in which it encourages students to stay local and give back to the community by coming back to Rapides Parish to teach once they've obtained their teaching degree. Upon high school graduation, students that have completed this pathway will be eligible to become a Paraprofessional within the district because of the credentials that they have earned throughout their time in high school.

There are four schools currently offering the program. They are Tioga High School, Pineville High School, Peabody Magnet High School, and Buckeye High School. Schopper is encouraged that more schools will join the program starting next school year.
The Rapides Parish School District is one of three school districts in the state to receive the award.