Jayde Barnett will graduate from Parkway High School later this month with an achievement not many can say they’ve earned.
Barnett has attended school every day since kindergarten, not missing a single day in 13 years. She was recognized Wednesday morning at the senior awards assembly, where she received a plaque from Parkway and the State Superintendent’s Honor Award from the Louisiana Department of Education.
Jayde shares this achievement with her mother, Mychele Price, who graduated from Airline High School in 1992 with 13 years of perfect attendance. Price’s late mother, Marty Ballew, inspired this goal, instilling the importance of school and education early in Price’s life.
“She told us no matter how smart you are or how athletic you are there are two things you can and must do — go to school and do your homework,” Price said.
Going that many years without a sick day sort of happened by luck and Jayde refused to skip school.
“We are very healthy people who tend to get sick over the holiday breaks,” Price explained. “[Jayde] actually had pneumonia two years ago during the Christmas holiday.”
Price said she’s very proud of her daughter.
“She was able to continue the legacy my mother wanted for us,” Price said. “We did this for her.”
Jayde is the 18-year-old daughter of Bill Barnett and Mychele Price. She’s an honor student with a 4.1 GPA, a member of the National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, JROTC Captain and a Commander of the Kitty Hawk Air Society, Beta Club, MuAlphaTheta, a six year member of the Talented Arts theater program, and a four year member of the Pride of Pantherland Band color guard. She’s also a member of Candace Dance company, where she takes ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop classes, and works at the YMCA every day after school.
Jayde plans to attend Northwestern State University in the fall to study criminal justice with hopes of one day attending law school. She has also received a scholarship to be part of the Demon Heat Color Guard at NSU.