BATON ROUGE, LA – The Baton Rouge Alliance for Students and ExxonMobil Baton Rouge publicly recognized and announced the winners of the initiative to celebrate outstanding educators serving Baton Rouge public schools. The joint initiative was designed to recognize the contributions of Baton Rouge educators of the past, present, and future who have significantly impacted their students’ lives and the community. As a part of the Teacher Appreciation Week celebrations, the organizations launched a recognition campaign and invited the community to participate.

After reviewing numerous outstanding nominations, the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students and ExxonMobil Baton Rouge have selected three exceptional educators to receive a $2,000 prize each. The winners are:

Tommie Gipson, Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School

Tommie Gipson has 28 years of experience as an educator. Mr. Gipson teaches Literacy and Language Arts to 8th graders at Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School. Mr. Gipson brings energy and excitement to the classroom and inspires, motivates, and shows genuine compassion for his generation of students.

Yamica Carmouche, Eva Legard Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies

Yamica Carmouche is a 6th grade Homeroom and Advisory teacher at the new Eva Legard Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies. Ms. Carmouche is known for how much she gives back to her Old South Baton Rouge community. She is known for preparing lunches, purchasing necessities, spearheading fundraisers, and organizing food drives, all to the benefit of her school’s local community.

Elika Everson, CSAL Charter Middle School 

Elika Everson is a 6th grade science teacher at CSAL, the Community School for Apprenticeship Learning, a type 1 charter school in Baton Rouge. Ms. Everson has a degree in entomology – the study of insects – and she brings her love of science to her students, where she uses innovative programs like AgMagic to ensure the underrepresented students in her classes have access to the skills that will help them succeed as the future of Baton Rouge.

“We are happy to recognize these exceptional educators and thank them for their dedication to their students and the community,” said Adonica Pelichet Duggan, CEO of the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students. “Their efforts have significantly impacted the lives of so many students, and we are grateful for their contributions to educating Baton Rouge.”

The Baton Rouge Alliance for Students and ExxonMobil Baton Rouge presented the $2,000 checks to the winners before this week’s EBR School Board meeting.

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