Having had her first taste of theater as far back as fifth grade, graduating senior Madison Lumar says theater was one school activity she simply could not get enough of while at Destrehan High.
“I love theater…I think it’s just because I’m a performer; I love to entertain and I like to make people happy,” she said. “Theater is a big part of my life. After high school, I’ll be majoring in communication, and I’ll have a minor in theater.”
Lumar, 18, finished out Destrehan High with a Grade Point Average of 3.8. She was able to collect college credit by taking courses in Hotel Restaurant and Tourism along with Dual Enrollment English classes.
Lumar was heavily involved in Color Guard and Winter Guard, and served as captain for both. She kept busy in between Color Guard events by staying involved in theater, Beta Club, Debate Club, and the National English Honor Society. Lumar was particularly active with the Destrehan High Student Council, where she served as her class’s Student Council president during her sophomore, junior and senior years.
Before she attends LSU in the fall, her summer calendar is already filled with big plans, starting with Swamp School Summer Camp, where she will work as a senior counselor. She’ll later stack up more work time at her new Lafon Performing Arts Center job. In July, Lumar says she will keep her schedule full by attending the Shell-sponsored Louisiana Youth Seminar.
“It’s a week-long seminar in Baton Rouge where you learn about being a better communicator and a better leader,” she said regarding the Louisiana Youth Seminar. “I did that last year, and I applied to be a junior counselor there; a couple of months ago I got the position.”
Lumar will polish off her summer schedule in August just before college begins in Baton Rouge, with the LSU Band Camp. There she will practice with the LSU Color Guard, an elite team she was able to secure a spot on after going through a two-stage performance process.
“It was a nerve-wracking process, especially since during my time in high school, [our Color Guard practice time] got cut by two years,” Lumar explained of how she was able to secure a spot on the LSU Color Guard squad. “It’s hard to get better at something when you’re not there as much.”
Despite losing two years of valuable Color Guard practice time due to Hurricane Ida and COVID, Lumar sent in her initial video performing fundamental Color Guard maneuvers, and advanced to the second round, where she had to give a solo performance on LSU campus including a flag routine. By the end of the day of her solo performance, she was relieved to learn she had made the team.
Now that Lumar’s time at Destrehan High has come to an end, she had a few pieces of advice for fall Destrehan High freshmen that will follow in her footsteps later this year.
“Just do absolutely everything you can,” she advised. “Destrehan is an extremely diverse school; there are so many different opportunities for students to get involved in the different clubs and sports there…just participate and have fun.”
After getting involved in school as much as her schedule would allow, Lumar had a clear vision of how she would like the Destrehan High Class of 2023 to remember her.
“I’d like to think people will remember me for just making them smile, making them laugh,” Lumar said fondly of her time at Destrehan High. “Just being remembered for being active and a leader at this school; being my most authentic self and having an impact on the students there.”
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