Alexandria Senior High School

A wonderful time of reflection and fellowship! Here’s looking forward to 2026-2027 school year!

Mr. McCormick took over 500 photos at last week's graduation ceremony. We won't post them all here on Facebook, but here are 80 of the top shots of the night. We have made all of the graduation photos viewable and downloadable via Google Drive.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1auUkCNwqlZSpdzBkf_kkCrwsi8ysXUaV?usp=sharing

Reminder: The ASH campus is closed today for Memorial Day and beginning tomorrow due to significant ongoing construction. Campus will be closed for the next three weeks and will reopen on June 15.

The only parts of campus that are open and will have traffic are the football locker room area and the JROTC building, but neither of those areas are open to the public and are reserved for ASH use only.

Please avoid campus until June 15 so that the construction workers can complete these significant necessary upgrades. ASH Sports Camp will begin on Monday, June 15 when the campus reopens.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please call 318-448-8206.

Our theatre director, Mrs. Hunter, joined the media team at Tuesday night's graduation to help grab some candid images of the color and pageantry of the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.

We sent the Class of 2026 out into the world Tuesday night at The Coliseum, and we had multiple photographers on hand trying to document as much of the action as possible. We are still going through all of the photos, but the first batches are ready to post.

Next up is the fourth and final part of sophomore Luke Iles' photos near the stage as graduates entered the floor and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.

We sent the Class of 2026 out into the world Tuesday night at The Coliseum, and we had multiple photographers on hand trying to document as much of the action as possible. We are still going through all of the photos, but the first batches are ready to post.

Next up is part 3 of sophomore Luke Iles' photos near the stage as graduates entered the floor and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. We will post Luke's photos in four parts, so if you don't see your graduate here, check the next post.

We sent the Class of 2026 out into the world Tuesday night at The Coliseum, and we had multiple photographers on hand trying to document as much of the action as possible. We are still going through all of the photos, but the first batches are ready to post.

Next up is part 2 of sophomore Luke Iles' photos near the stage as graduates entered the floor and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. We will post Luke's photos in four parts, so if you don't see your graduate here, check the next two posts.

We sent the Class of 2026 out into the world Tuesday night at The Coliseum, and we had multiple photographers on hand trying to document as much of the action as possible. We are still going through all of the photos, but the first batches are ready to post.

First up is part 1 of sophomore Luke Iles' photos near the stage as graduates entered the floor and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. We will post Luke's photos in four parts, so if you don't see your graduate here, check the next three posts.

Congrats to Bonton Media and your ASH Trojans!

🏆 FROM CENTRAL LOUISIANA TO AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE.

“Alexandria Football: Road to the Dome” has officially won a BRONZE TELLY AWARD.

A documentary created right here in Louisiana…
Now recognized alongside some of the best video and television productions in the world.

Today is a day of celebration. Our students have finished the year and are off to their summer break. Our teachers have persevered through the many challenges of testing season to make it to their final day of the year before getting a much-earned vacation. And some of our faculty have finished their distinguished careers, walking away from the classroom for the final time after touching countless lives through the years. We want to spotlight our retirees today on the final day of their careers.

Dr. Brenda Albright Barnhart spent 31 years as a Career and Technical Education teacher, all in Rapides Parish and the last 14 here at ASH. She has taught dozens of different classes through the years ranging from parenting and child development to food nutrition to accounting, web design and computer science. Her parting words of wisdom are, "You don't have to be an athlete to make your mark. ... You just have to be the best and most authentic you that you can be. Set your goals high because even if you miss, you are still above where you started from."

Master Gunnery Sergeant Terry Hall, known affectionately around campus as Master Guns, has been a Marine instructor with ASH's Marine Corps JROTC since 2019. After spending nearly 30 years as an active-duty Marine, Master Guns returned home to Alexandria and fulfilled one of his life goals of serving as a JROTC instructor at ASH. He said he realized very quickly that ASH is the standard in this district, and he helped create an environment where ASH MCJROTC has been the standard for JROTC programs across the state. His parting words of wisdom are, 'Remember, the interaction with our students makes up a very small percentage of their day. I encourage my fellow leaders to continue to get to know our students on a more human level. This will allow our class to better connect them with everything else they have going on in life. Encourage them to be active on campus and then allow our class to support that effort."

Mrs. Pam Morse, a 1983 graduate of ASH, spent the past 20 years teaching DE and AP history classes at ASH. After teaching at Alexandria Middle Magnet and Lessie Moore Elementary, she said she was fortunate to be hired by former Principal Duane Urbina to come back and teach at her alma mater. "Being part of the ASH family has meant more to me than I can possibly say. I can honestly say that I have taught alongside some of the very best teachers in this parish. My coworkers and students honestly saved me when I was at the lowest point in my life. I can't thank everyone enough. While I am excited to travel with (my husband) Kelly and spend more time with my grandchildren, I will always miss 800 Ola Lane."

After spending nearly 30 years working in marketing and public relations, Ms. Melody Stagg made the switch to the classroom 17 years ago and is retiring after a distinguished career at Marksville High School and ASH, where she spent the past years teaching several different English subjects. Her parting words of wisdom to the ASH family are, "We've seen each other through numerous administrative and staff changes, over-the-legal-limit class rosters, curriculum changes, parking lot and building changes, TCMs and more, but that hasn't stopped us at all! It really does take a team to endure challenges like this, and I feel confident that you all are so strong-willed, energetic and creative enough that you have what it takes to keep moving ASH in the right direction! As I enter my next chapter, I want to thank each of you for being such a blessed part of the end of my career. It truly is another great day to be a Trojan!"

Mrs. Phyllis Thiels is retiring after spending more than 30 years teaching algebra and geometry in Rapides Parish. After teaching for nine years at Bolton High School and taking four years off to be a stay-at-home mom, Mrs. Thiels spent the past 22 years at ASH. She had two children who graduated from ASH, and among her favorite memories are watching her daughter, Sabrina, win a state softball championship and state track title in the javelin. Her parting words of wisdom are "It's true -- the days go by slow, but the years fly by!"

Mrs. Janet Turner is wrapping up a 34-year teaching career in Rapides Parish that included 14 years as a business teacher at Oak Hill and the past 20 years as a CTE teacher here at ASH. She said the biggest difference between Oak Hill and ASH was how much bigger the school was at ASH, but that the teenagers were the same. She said teaching her two sons was a very special memory, and she didn't even have to force them to take her class! She said that she really enjoyed her time at ASH and that teaching is a hard profession but one that is very rewarding. Her parting words of wisdom are "Remember: The answer to all problems can be solved with JESUS and an EXCEL spreadsheet!! Love you all!"

While ASH is losing six beloved members of the classroom faculty, our cafeteria won't be the same with the retirement of Mrs. Tracy Brown and Mrs. Beverly Welch, who combined have 55 years of food service experience in Rapides Parish. Both ladies began their food-service careers in the lunchroom at Northwood High School, but they have been valuable members of the ASH cafeteria staff for years. Mrs. Brown recalled the friendly and welcoming environment when she first started at ASH, and she enjoyed building relationships with faculty and staff members. However, the most important aspect of her job was connecting with students every day. "I enjoyed being able to serve others, create a welcoming
environment and see the smiles and appreciation from the students we feed," she said. "Those everyday moments made the job meaningful to me." Mrs. Welch said her most memorable experience at ASH was being able to see her two children graduate as Trojans. Her daughter was a varsity cheerleader, while her son played on the Trojan Basketball team. "The highlight of my career was going to their games and competitions," she said.

Mrs. Brown's parting words are "Thank you Alexandria Senior High School for the memories, friendships and experiences I will always cherish. It has truly been a blessing to work alongside such caring staff and wonderful students. I will always appreciate the support, laughter and sense of family I found here. I wish everyone continued success and happiness in the years ahead." Mrs. Welch offered the following advice: "I love you ladies and will miss you dearly. Remember to always put God first and lead with kindness. Philippians 4:13: 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'"

Photos: Corbin D.