Eight Livingston Parish Teachers Awarded Grants
LIVINGSTON, La. – Eight Livingston Parish teachers have been awarded the 2025 Deborah Rochelle Teacher Grants to fund instructional, research-based projects that provide direct instruction to local students.
The grant program, which was initiated in 1991, is managed by the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation to benefit qualified teachers and professional staff in East Baton Rouge, Livingston, and St. Tammany parishes. The grant program is named after Rochelle, who is responsible for the grant’s origination and organization. The grants are valued at up to $5,000 each, and they are awarded directly to winning recipients.
The eight recipients and their projects include:
• Anthony Elliot, French Settlement Elementary, received $4,824 to fund Next-Level STEM curriculum.
• Crystal Gurley, Denham Springs High, received $4,955 to fund kits for kids.
• Alicia Jackson, Seventh Ward Elementary, received $4,835 to fund computers for intervention.
• Nikki Lavergne, Live Oak Junior High, received $3,204 to fund responsibility and agricultural literacy.
• Laura Litolff, Albany Lower Elementary, received $5,000 to fund "Let's Play Together."
• Heather Smith, Walker Elementary, received $4,284 to fund Tables that Teach.
• Carol Tate, Springfield High School, received $1,131 to fund Food Science Books.
• Jaime Winter, Seventh Ward Elementary, $4,823 to fund "Let's Get Techy with Kindergarten."
“We are most appreciative of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr., Foundation and those involved with the Deborah Rochelle Grants program for recognizing the outstanding work that is being done by our teachers,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said.
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French Settlement Elementary – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Anthony Elliot, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, and Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli. |
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Denham Springs High School (DSHS) – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Crystal Gurley, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli, and DSHS Principal Wes Howard. |
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Seventh Ward Elementary (SWE) – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, SWE Principal Laura Dunlap, Grant Recipient Alicia Jackson, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli, and SWE Assistant Principal Tiffany Battistella. |
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Live Oak Junior High (LOJH) – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Nikki Lavergne, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli, and LOJH Principal Eric Fasbender. |
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Albany Lower Elementary – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Laura Litolff, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, and Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli. |
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Walker Elementary (WES) – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Heather Smith, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli, and WES Acting Principal Aimee Spearman. |
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Springfield High School (SHS) – Pictured left to right: Superintendent Jody Purvis, Grant Recipient Carol Tate, Program Director of the Deborah Rochel Teacher Grant Meredith Mendez, Executive Director of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation Katy Pacelli, and SHS Assistant Principal Vickie Eaves. |