VIDALIA &045;&045; There were many rounds of applause in the first 30 minutes of the Concordia Parish School Board meeting Tuesday night as the community and school board gave many students a verbal pat on the back.

All of the students of the year in the parish were recognized for their achievements, including the district winners &045;&045; Fred Marsalis Jr., Hunter Davis and Bria Harris.

Marsalis was honored a second time Tuesday night for receiving another honor &045;&045; South Central Region Super Teen.

Marsalis said the honor is from a magazine that covers the main students in the country that excel.

Also Tuesday night, the board recognized their distinguished partner in education, Concordia Bank and Trust Company.

The entire board of directors was present to accept the award.

&uot;This is truly and honor,&uot; said bank Vice President Pat Biglane.

&uot;We realize the children of the parish are our future,&uot; he said. &uot;We look forward to the continued education of our youth.&uot;

Concordia Bank partners with the school district in many ways, including the Bank at School Program where sixth graders can open savings accounts and deposit money at school.

Both Concordia Bank and the students of the year will go on to compete at the state level.

Jason Brocato of Vidalia High School also was honored Tuesday night for winning a Louisiana DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) Award. Brocato already serves as the state central region vice president for DECA but attended their annual conference and placed first in full service restaurant management.

A new award was given Tuesday night, the Social Justice Award. Superintendent Kerry Laster recognized a group of students who work with Valencia Hall in group therapy.

The students watched &uot;The Farm,&uot; a movie about life inside the federal prison at Angola. After watching, they wrote a letter to petition Gov. Kathleen Blanco to release Eugene Tannehill from prison.

The movie followed different inmates and taught the students they did not want to go to prison, students wrote in the letter.

Tannehill only needs the governor’s signature to be pardoned, already having the parole board’s approval. The students told Blanco Tannehill is reformed and deserved the pardon. &uot;I was extremely impressed when these boys shared their letter with me,&uot; Laster said. &uot;It made cold chills go up and down my spine.&uot;