Berwick names nine top graduates

Berwick High has named nine top graduates to be recognized at commencement exercises at 7 p.m. Thursday at Geisler Stadium.
The top graduates are:
Noah Moebeto
Castaneda
Noah Moebeto Castaneda is the son of Luis and B.J. Castaneda. He is active in Drama Club, BETA, FFA, HOPE Squad and the Sound of Pride band, serving as drum major since 2022. Noah has been a four-year letterman in swim, tennis and golf, and a three-year member of the track team.
He is the music cantor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the organist at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Noah has received numerous music awards, including being selected for the District Seven Honor Band and the LMEA All-State band and choir. He was also awarded the 2022 Firefighter of the Year for Bayou Vista Volunteer Fire Department and became a HOBY ambassador.
After graduation, Noah plans to attend Northwestern State University to study music performance and hopes to join the United States Marine Corps Band.
Nelson Antonio Eguizabal
Nelson Antonio Eguizabal is the son of Sara Bella and Nelson Eguizabal. He has participated in one year of tennis and one year of football. His accomplishments include maintaining all A’s in high school, being co-owner of the small business Labor Mates and maintaining a job throughout high school.
After high school, he plans to attend Nicholls State University, where he will receive his pre-med requisites and then go into medical school to become an anesthesiologist.
Kali Victoria Lasseigne
Kali Victoria Lasseigne is the daughter of Kayla Ewing and Sean Lasseigne. Throughout high school, she has been involved in power-lifting, softball, Hope Squad, FFA, Student Council, BETA, Interact and more. She has enjoyed connecting with the community at the Morgan City AARP Home.
Kali is grateful to have won Berwick High’s first FFA banner for public speaking. She was also crowned homecoming queen and her best friend, Paulina Trejo, won prom queen. Her proudest accomplishment is receiving the Louisiana Excellence Award from Tulane University, where she plans to study cell and molecular biology with a minor in either chemical engineering or physics.
She is unsure if she will go pre-med or into engineering for her master’s.
Alexa Elizabeth Leftwich
Alexa Elizabeth Leftwich is the daughter of Amy and Jeremy Leftwich. During her four years on the BHS swim team, she was part of the state relay teams from her sophomore through senior year, she qualified for a state individual event her senior year, and was awarded LHSAA All-Academic. She was also on the powerlifting team, where she qualified for state each year, won fourth place in her weight class her senior year and earned All-Academic.
Alexa was a fourth-degree Wisecat, Quiz Bowl captain, a member of Beta, a member of HOSA, and recently recognized for her outstanding leadership skills. Alexa has been in the Gifted & Talented program and the Talented Art program since elementary school. Her incredible artistic abilities have earned her many awards over the years.
Alexa is a member of the BHS ACT 30+ Club. During her time at BHS, she earned 18 hours of college credit through many dual enrollment courses. She has been awarded the TOPS Honors Scholarship as well as Louisiana Tech University’s Outstanding Student Scholarship. Alexa was also accepted into the University Honors Program at Louisiana Tech University where she will be majoring in Biomedical engineering. She plans to pursue a career in biomechanics with hopes of becoming a prosthetic engineer.
Cherish Alana Lewis
Cherish Alana Lewis is the daughter of Kevin and Tanisha Lewis. Throughout her time in high school, she has been in Student Council, Beta, HOSA, Key Club, DECA and the National Society of High School Scholars. She served as class president her freshman and sophomore years and president of HOSA her junior year, and currently still serves as the president of HOSA and Beta.
The past two years, she has volunteered as a recreational T-ball and soccer coach. She has also spent time tutoring those who need help.
Cherish was named Student of the Year for Berwick High and St. Mary Parish her senior year. She also received the highest GPA in numerous subjects and the citizenship award, and won three local art shows.
After high school, she plans to attend Xavier University of Louisiana to major in psychology pre-med in hopes of becoming a pediatrician or an emergency room physician.
Liberty Faye Nelson
Liberty Faye Nelson is the daughter of Stephanie Nelson. While at Berwick High School, she was heavily involved in the band. The Sound of Pride was a major influence on her drive and perseverance throughout high school. She was the head quartermaster in her junior and senior years, which consisted of keeping inventory of all instruments, devising and executing a plan for loading and unloading the trailer after every event, and retrieving spare instruments for those who needed them.
Being a part of the band’s Student Leadership Team also gave her the opportunity to teach underclassmen how to march and to guide them in assimilating into a high school environment. She was also the vice president of Berwick’s health occupations club, HOSA. Some of her major accomplishments are becoming a certified emergency medical responder, receiving the Outstanding Bandsmen award and making the St. Mary Parish honor band every year since sixth grade.
After high school, she plans to obtain her EMT license through Acadian Ambulance and work with them for a year. Following that year, she will attend Nicholls State University to get her bachelor’s in nursing. Her goal is to become a pediatric oncology nurse.
Katelyn Marie Theriot
Katelyn Marie Theriot is the daughter of Elizabeth and Troy Theriot. She participated in Drama Club and Talented Art during her four years of high school. In Drama Club, she performed in various plays. She was also involved in BETA Club in junior high and high school, donating items for areas in need.
She danced for years, performing in Shrimp and Petroleum balls and the Krewe of Nike. At Berwick High School, she earned the Most Academic title in her class for two years and was a third-degree WiseCat.
She maintained a 4.0 grade point average. She advanced to District Literary Rally in Business Computer Applications and Biology II. She plans to attend Nicholls State University to major in nursing and become a registered nurse.
Kenny Thong Tran
Kenny Thong Tran is the son of Hy Tran and Yen Lam. A major accomplishment of his is maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout four years while working for his parents.
He also received an academic award for getting the highest GPA in Survey of Arts. His plan after high school is to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for electrical engineering.
Paulina Trejo Cruz
Paulina Trejo Cruz is the daughter of Jose Erasmo Trejo Martinez and Georgina Cruz Juarez and the sister of Carolina Trejo Cruz. Throughout high school, she has been involved in the Sound of Pride band, Student Council, Interact, tennis, BETA and Hope Squad.
She loves to volunteer through the Interact club at the AARP center in Morgan City and connect with the elderly community. One of her major accomplishments in her high school career was being the president of the SOP band. It was an honor and joy to have played with such talented individuals and under amazing band directors.
A memory she will always cherish is being voted prom queen alongside her best friend Kali Lasseigne, who won homecoming queen. She plans to attend Northwestern State University of Louisiana on the Mary R. Gallaspy Scholarship to study international business.