Three recent high school graduates from New Iberia were awarded scholarships from the New Iberia Kiwanis Club, as the club does each year. One of the three scholarships is designated the Erland Johnson Scholarship, which is awarded to a graduating senior who has been a Key Club member and has shown exemplary service to the community.

This year’s recipient of the Erland Johnson Scholarship is Rayner Leblanc, a graduate of Catholic High School.

Rayner, the daughter of Christopher and Phyllis Leblanc, participated in softball at CHS and was selected Best of the Teche in 2011 and first team All District 6-2A in 2012. She also has played on a travel softball team during her high school summers and played on the volleyball team her sophomore year. The CHS grad also has served on the student council and was a member of the varsity Quiz Bowl Team.

Rayner joined the Key Club her freshman year and has participated in the Kiwanis Club’s annual pancake supper the past four years.

Rayner plans to attend Millsaps College and major in biology with an eye on eventually becoming a veterinarian.

Catholic High School graduate Brandy Milliman, daughter of Lloyd and Wanda Milliman, was awarded a scholarship from the New Iberia Kiwanis Club.

Brandy was the swim team captain from her freshman year through graduation. Also during high school, she managed to participate on the track team and girls basketball team.

Brandy was very active in the 4-H Club, serving at times as parish junior leader president, junior leader reporter, parish executive board president and vice president and 4-H school president for four years. She also was active with the Louisiana Legislative Youth Council.

In addition to those things, Brandy found time to be selected as Miss Junior Iberia in 2011.

Brandy will attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the fall, majoring in Art Education and K-12 education with the goal of becoming an art teacher. She also would like to be her school’s 4-H and Key Club sponsor and a swim team coach.

Joe Lissard is the third recipient of this year’s scholarships awarded by the New Iberia Kiwanis Club.

Joe, son of Chris and Lucy Lissard, is a graduate of Catholic High School. He has been involved in the campus ministry, participated in baseball and track and received the Servium Award.

Joe also dabbled in football, which resulted in being selected All-District second team quarterback his sophomore year; All-District first team quarterback, District Offensive MVP, Best of the Teche first team, Best of the Teche Offensive MVP and All-State first team his junior year; and All-District and All-State first team, Best of the Teche first team, CHS Offensive MVP and CHS Team Captain his senior year.

Joe already has begun attending McNeese State University, where he intends to continue his football career and earn a degree in Business Finance.