A sports enthusiast with dreams of being a Major League Baseball player; a singer who loves performing on stage and learning different languages; and the Louisiana 4-H President with a passion for impacting positive change. These narratives provide a small glimpse into the lives of the 2023-24 Bossier Parish Students of the Year. 

Bossier Schools Superintendent Mitch Downey and district leaders surprised three students today in their classrooms with the news they will represent the parish as they advance in the Louisiana Student of the Year competition. Chosen for their academic excellence, community service and the leadership skills each demonstrates, this is the highest honor bestowed on students at the district level. Meet the Bossier Parish Students of the Year:  

Zach Cryer is a senior at Benton High and the Bossier Parish High School Student of the Year. Cryer currently serves as the Louisiana 4-H President, a platform that has enabled him to travel to Washington D.C. to discuss the importance of environmental issues in the state. He takes serving others to heart, having volunteered thousands of hours with his church, foster care ministries, Bossier Teen Court and founding clubs at his school. Cryer cites the words of baseball legend Jackie Robinson for his own life’s outlook: “A life isn’t significant except for its impact on other lives.” 

Addalynn Allen is the Bossier Parish Middle School Student of the Year and an eighth grader at Cope. Music is a big part of her life and she is an avid reader, writer and enjoys learning Spanish. As a member of her school’s Youth Legislature, Allen has introduced a bill to assist disadvantaged families with school supplies and uniforms for their children, saying “I strive to be a light in the darkness and be kind to everyone, even if that makes me stand out.” 

Levi Beverage is a fifth grade student at Benton Intermediate School and the Bossier Parish Elementary Student of the Year. The middle child of five siblings, Beverage says being part of a big family has taught him a lot about life. “I see that we are all different, but different doesn’t make us unequal. It makes us all unique and special.” The 11-year-old loves attending church, fishing, playing baseball and being the ball boy for the Benton High School football team. He hopes one day to play college sports and be an MLB player and help children with needs.  

The Louisiana Department of Education will name the 2023-24 State Students of the Year in each category at an awards ceremony in April 2024.