The Associated Press

Monday, November 19, 2001

The Natchez Democrat

HARRISONBURG, La. – One of Louisiana’s smallest high schools

is also one of the best.

Harrisonburg High, with 101 students, had a state school performance

score of 123.9 – highest in northeast Louisiana, and fourth-highest

in the state.

Only Ben Franklin in Orleans Parish, Caddo Parish Magnet, and

Baton Rouge High did better. Those three were rated ”schools

of academic excellence,” with scores which state officials said

put them in the top 5 percent of all schools nationwide.

No high schools were rated ”schools of academic distinction,”

the No. 2 category. But Harrisonburg’s score put it at the top

of the third, ”schools of academic achievement,” scoring at

least 100 – at the national average.

Northshore High, in St. Tammany Parish, was next at 117.7 points.

Harrisonburg principal Malcolm Terry is the first to point

toward parental support and Harrisonburg Elementary School for

the scores.

”I’m getting kids here that have been well-prepared,” Terry

said. ”That’s a lot of our success here.”

Part of that stems from the location, a rural Catahoula Parish

town of 746 people.

Terry said the area supports little industry. Families are

close to each other – and they think learning is important, he

said.