Ninth annual phonathon raises most money in event's history

Student volunteers complete nearly 2,200 phone calls
A record amount of money was donated during the ninth annual phonathon held Jan. 29 – Feb. 1 and sponsored by the LSMSA Foundation.

The event raised more than $105,000, the most in the phonathon’s history. Gifts came from more than 450 individual donors, more than 10 percent of which were first-time donors to LSMSA.

Fifty-two student volunteers completed nearly 2,200 phone calls to parents, alumni and other friends of LSMSA to seek their support. Additionally, alumni volunteers in Houston, Austin and Washington, D.C., made coordinated phone calls to alumni friends to help raise funds.

Many of the student callers volunteered because they recognize the important role the LSMSA Foundation plays in the school community.

“Once I graduate, I will most likely donate to Phonathon every year,” said Kaleb Ray, a junior from Opelousas. “It contributes so much to the entire student body and affects the LSMSA experience in many ways.”

When asked about her most memorable phonathon moment, Dakota Trim, a junior from Baton Rouge, said it was receiving a $500 donation from one of the LSMSA supporters she called.

“Over the last nine years, the LSMSA Foundation’s phonathon has grown into our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Angela Robinson, executive director of the Foundation. “It has become a spring tradition at LSMSA and is overwhelmingly successful because of the collective efforts of our student and alumni callers as well as our many alumni and parents who help raise awareness on social media by encouraging classmates and friends to support our school.

“The phonathon continues to set new records each year, and that is a testimony to the impact that the school has had on the lives of so many students over the last three and a half decades.”

Gifts from the phonathon are intended for the Foundation’s annual fund. The annual fund provides support to LSMSA where and when it needs it most. Examples of recent annual fund support to LSMSA include new and replacement textbooks, athletic equipment, costumes and set materials for theatrical and dance productions, scientific equipment and mathematics supplies.

Student volunteers included Caroline Adkins, a junior from Shreveport; Colby Alexander, a junior from Franklin; Kiara Barclay, a senior from Bogalusa; Chirstan Bates, a sophomore from Ruston; Jada Bezue, a junior from Hammond; Gabrielle Blanchard, a senior from Houma; Marlies Carter, a junior from Madisonville; Alvaro Carvajal, a senior from Jefferson; Ian Crochet, a junior from New Iberia; Keaton Dicapo, a junior from Denham Springs; Kerry Doyle, a senior from Eros; Makayla Dupre, a senior from Jeanerette; Angela Fang, a senior from Mandeville; Caitlin Foster, a senior from LaPlace; Geoffrey Glover, a senior from Breaux Bridge; Sarah Green, a senior from Houma; Kaylen Green, a sophomore from Lake Charles; Samantha Hernandez, a senior from Slidell; Emma Istre, a junior from Crowley; Kiran Kaur, a junior from Lake Charles; Clara Kolterman, a senior from Sterlington; Bryson Landry, a senior from Franklin; Julianne Le, a sophomore from Lake Charles; Amy Liu, a senior from Alexandria; Destin Lopez, a sophomore from Lake Arthur; LiZhang Matuschka, a senior from Natchitoches; Emma Miller, a senior from Meraux; Bryce Moulton, a senior from Natchitoches; Alena Noakes, a senior from Dry Prong; Jessenia Ortiz, a senior from Oberlin; Stephanie Osten, a senior from Crowley; Gabriella Papillion, a senior from Oberlin; Morgan Phelps, a junior from Baton Rouge; Kaitlyn Randall, a senior from Vidalia; Kaleb Ray, a junior from Opelousas; Hannah Rice, a senior from Mandeville; Andrea Richard, a sophomore from Sunset; Zoe Roques, a sophomore from Broussard; Cynthia Russell, a junior from Pitkin; Avaion Ruth, a junior from Brusly; Emma Shupe, a senior from Baton Rouge; Presley Simmons, a senior from Walker; Jordan Smith, a junior from Geismar; Sydney Sorbet, a sophomore from Covington; Siobahn Stanley, a sophomore from Stonewall; Mary Edna Tanksley, a senior from Lake Providence; Kaitlyn Thompson, a sophomore from Montz; Casey Tonnies, a junior from Bossier City; Dakota Trim, a junior from Baton Rouge; Diamond Wilson, a junior from Natchitoches; Samantha Wright, a senior from Crowley; and Amaya Young, a junior from Natchitoches.
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