Meet the 11 Caddo Parish students working with BRF and LSU Health Shreveport this school year

Makenzie Boucher, Shreveport Times
·1 min read

Eleven students from Caddo Parish schools have begun their yearlong research study with the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program. These students will work alongside investigators at LSU Health Shreveport on various research studies.

In 1997, BRF launched the SMART program for 10 to 12 academically advanced high school seniors from Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parish to provide a yearlong research experience.

2022-2023 SMART Student Class
2022-2023 SMART Student Class

Students in this year's class are:

  • Nhi Dao from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Caroline Hannigan from C.E. Byrd High School

  • Elizabeth Klotzbach from C.E. Byrd High School

  • Raj Letchuman from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Katherine Michael from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Chloe Miller from C.E. Byrd High School

  • Gabrielle Miller from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Ben Muslow from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Sonya Patel from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

  • Jaylen Pruiett from Captain Shreve High School

  • Eshika Tandon from Caddo Parish Magnet High School

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These students must have a career interest in medicine, biomedical research or biomedical engineering.

This program is funded by the generosity of donors, including the late Bobbie Cates Hicks, The Bruce J. Heim Foundation, The Community Foundation of North Louisiana’s Give for Good donors, The Community Foundation of North Louisiana’s William C. Woolf Fund and The Magale Foundation.

BRF said that their mission is to diversify and grow this region's economy through education of future science and technology workforce.

SMART has served 249 students in this region and is in partnership with LSU Health Shreveport; and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto Parish School Boards.

More: A look inside the new Center for Molecular Imagining and Therapy

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Who are the SMART students in Shreveport this year