By Katherine Miller

STAFF WRITER

CROWLEY – Recently, four lucky Acadia Parish high school graduates received exciting news through the mail. This news involved a letter sent by Dr. Sangeeta Krishen, M.D., of the Child and Adolescent Clinic of Crowley, informing them that they had been selected as part of a new scholarship program headed by the Krishen Foundation for Arts and Sciences, spearheaded by Dr. Krishen and her father, Dr. Kumar Krishen.

These scholarship recipients are all graduates of the 2007-2008 school year and include, Heidi Boudreaux, Michael Doughty, Courtney Melanson and Kayla Meche.

Heidi Boudreaux is a graduate of Midland High School, who currently attends McNeese State University with a major in Animal Science. Michael Doughty is a graduate of Crowley High School who currently attends Louisiana State University at Eunice, with a major in Business Administration. Courtney Melanson is a graduate of Notre Dame High School who currently attends Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Kayla Meche is also a graduate of Notre Dame High School who currently attends school at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a major in Kinesiology/Exercise Science.

Dr. Krishen informed that over the summer, a group of her friends and family, as well as other businesses in town, teamed up to raise funds for this new venture through hosting a charity yard sale.

“We contacted each of the four schools asking for a list of top graduates from the last school year,” said Cindy McLaurin, who helped to organize the event. “This is how we chose our scholarship recipients.”

In the letters of congratulations, Dr. Krishen expressed that her wish for many years was to establish an annual scholarship/award program for college-bound students from Acadia Parish.

“Some time later this year, we plan on awarding a second hand of scholarships,” said McLaurin.

Dr. Krishen’s future plans include keeping this program going as long as they can.