Love Our Schools Crowns Education All-stars Winners at UL Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball Game

February 8, 2026 - 18:44

In a celebration of educational excellence, five dedicated educators from Lafayette Parish were crowned as the 2025-2026 Education All-Stars during a University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball game this past Saturday. The event, held at the Cajundome, saw finalists celebrated for their commitment before the category winners were announced to the crowd.

Each of the honored All-Stars will receive a $1,000 grant to directly benefit their classroom or school initiatives. The winners represent a broad spectrum of dedication across the parish. Latoya Rideau was named the Elementary School Hall of Fame winner, while Britney Bonnet-Taylor earned the Middle School Hall of Fame award. Emily Benoit received the High School Hall of Fame distinction.

The Breakout Award was presented to Emily Weber, and Katy Twiner was honored with the All Heart Award. These educators were recognized for consistently going above and beyond for their students and school communities.

The Education All-Stars program aims to spotlight the passion and commitment of school staff. By partnering with the university for the announcement, organizers created a powerful moment uniting community spirit with support for public education. The finalists had previously been surprised with the news in January, building anticipation for the public celebration.