<p class="indent">Gene Thibodeaux, president of the Lake Charles Charter Academy Foundation, from left, Henry Mancuso, board executive secretary, and Ken Roebuck, principal of Lake Charles College Prep, far right, congratulate Bourque Scholars TaJah Wilson and Hilda “Jackie” Garza.</p>RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.png

<div class="article_viewer_container"><div class="this_article"><div id="articleViewerPopup_articleViewer" class="article_viewer ArticleViewer text use-3d ltr" data-olive-control="ArticleViewer"><div class="animation-wrapper"><div class="align-wrapper offset-wrapper"><div class="zoom-wrapper"><div class="article" lang="en" xml_lang="en" data-view-mode="text"><div class="Content"><p class="indent">Lake Charles College Prep has awarded its Bourque Scholars — Hilda “Jackie” Garza and TaJah Wilson — $1,500 scholarships from the Monsignor Joseph Bourque Trust Fund for the use of college study over the next year.

<p class="indent">Principal Ken Roebuck said it was “no surprise” that the two young ladies were honored with such an award.

<p class="indent">The Monsignor Joseph Bourque Trust Fund was established by local attorney and founding board member of the three Lake Charles charter schools Drew Ranier, said the Rev. Henry Mancuso, executive secretary of the Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy Foundation.

<p class="indent">Bourque, served as a priest in Southwest Louisiana for more than 50 years and had a passion for evangelism and education, Mancuso said.

<p class="indent">“He wanted students to experience the ‘larger world’ before high school graduation,” he said.

<p class="indent">In the same manner that Ranier was influenced by Bourque’s legacy, Mancuso charged the recipients to “pay it forward” when they have the opportunity one day.

<p class="indent">“We are all meant to make an impact,” Mancuso encouraged.

<p class="indent">Garza said she plans to use the scholarship to get a jump-start on the basic college courses necessary for an engineering degree.

<p class="indent">“I feel very accomplished to receive this award,” she said. “My hard work and my family’s support has helped me get to this point.”

<p class="indent">Wilson said the scholarship is not only a signal that her hard work has been recognized but also is a reminder to do her best in the future in order for more opportunities like this to be afforded to her.

<p class="indent">She said she will use the money at McNeese State University and plans to pursue a career as a lawyer.

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