At the Zachary Community School Board meeting held June 7, it was a night of honors and recognitions for teachers, district personnel and students.

• Three 2011-2012 employees announced their retirement: Sally Bumpus, a food service manager at Copper Mill; Joy Bueche, an instructional specialist at Zachary Elementary; and Charles Lee, not in attendance, were honored by board members for their many years of service to the district.

"These three people have given their lives to their careers," said Superintendent Warren Drake. All three were given honorary plaques.

• Several students from a Zachary High School development team joined forces with LSU Professor Dr. Greg Guzik and engineer grad student Katherine Blackburn to work on their LaAces (Louisiana Aerospace Catalyst Experiences for Students) project this past school year.

The ZHS underclassmen, all students of science/physics teacher Mark Arseneault, spent several nights a week at LSU working on their project before heading to Palestine, Texas, to present before NASA.

LaACES is a student research project involving data collection aboard a high altitude sounding balloon. The ZHS team sent their balloon up about 100,000 feet, while working side by side with other development teams from universities such as LSU, La. Tech, Loyola and Xavier.

This was the first time a high school team participated in the LaACES project. Eddie Veal, Matt Flanders, Cameron Long, Zack Cason, Hunter Garrett and Michael Stewart all volunteered for the research and thanks to their parents, were able to attend study groups on the LSU campus.

The boys were honored, along with their teacher Mark Arseneault by the Zachary School Board, as well as Dr. Guzik from LSU.

• Two Zachary Community School District employees were also recognized by the board and Superintendent Drake for having gone beyond the call of duty.

The honor is occasionally bestowed upon ZCSD employees whose dedication, leadership and attitude shines above all others.

Perry Dawson, who works in the school district's maintenance department, and Zachary High science teacher Mark Arseneault, were given certificates for Going Beyond the Call of Duty.

Principal Wes Watts said both Dawson and Arseneault are full of enthusiasm, while Drake remarked that both men are passionate about their work and great representatives of the ZCSD.