Laila Jo Ahmed and Jaygen Guilbeau of Durant High School have been selected as the Shamrock Bank Impact Athlete and Performing Arts Students of the month for April 2024.
To say Laila Ahmed is busy during the school year is an understatement.
First there’s softball in the fall, then basketball in the winter and then track in spring.
The senior has been a lynch pin for the highly successful Lady Lion softball program. A four-year member of the varsity squad, the blazing-fast outfielder also excelled her final two seasons at the plate, hitting .337 and .338 along with stealing a combined 30-34 bases..
During her four year high school stint, Laila played on four Class 5A regional tournament winners and state qualifying teams.with the final two being named academic champion for 2022 and 2023 school years. Ahmed capped off her DHS softball career being named first team all-district in Class 5A-4.
Once softball concluded, she went to work as a manager on the Durant girls basketball team her last two years.
However, it is in track that Ahmed has probably had the biggest impact.
“Laila has been a solid track leader for the Durant track program,” coach Aaron George said. “A tw0-time defending state champion in High Jump and state qualifier in the 100 meter hurdles. She has represented Durant to high standards.”
One of the state’s top performers in the High Jump, Ahmed finished fourth as a freshman and brought home Class 5A state champion gold medals her sophomore and junior years recording winning jumps of 5’2″ and 5’4″.
In addition, Ahmed has captured first place in countless local meets in High Jump and was honor as “Athlete of the Year in Track and Field” her freshman year by US TODAY Sports. She also competes in Hurdles.
A stellar student, Laila has compiled a 4.0 grade point average and earned a spot in the Oklahoma Honor Society, National Honor Society and Athletic Honor Society. She also finds time to work at the Rib Crib in Durant and for the city of Durant on a seasonable basis.
She is considering continuing her track while pursuing a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Psychology.
Laila’s mother and stepfather are Lacy and Josh Christian. Her father is Amir Ahmed.
Her brothers are Jackson Dillingham, Ali and Adiy Ahmed and Jet Christian.
Kathryn Dillingham and Leena, Jameelah and Maryam Ahmed are her sisters.
Jaygen Gilbeau has made her mark at DHS in choir, musical theatre and speech and debate. She also participates in the Southeastern Oklahoma State University choir.
Highly accomplished in mixed choir, Jaygen’s honors include being recognized by SWACDA (Southwestern American Chorale Directors )in Little Rock, AR in 2022 and receiving multiple Excellent and Superior ratings on Solos and Ensembles at both the District and State levels since her freshman year.
In addition, Guilbeau has been named to the Southeast Oklahoma All-District Honor Choir as a qualifier/medalist for six years and a Gold Letter qualifier four times.
Active in Durant High School Musical Theater, her credits include “Beauty and the Beast”, “Tarzan”, “All Shook Up”, “Annie”, “Seussical: The Musical, and “CSI in Wonderland – Duchess of Diamonds” performed in Durant High School Theatre.
Jaygen’s communication skills are quite evident when you look at her accomplishments in speech and debate. She is a two-time Regionals Qualifier in Dramatic Interpretation (DI) and a 2024 State Qualifier this spring.
Guilbeau takes her classwork seriously. And it shows.
She is a 4.00 student with a weighted GPA of 4.35. In addition to her high school classes, Jaygen is a concurrent student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She also is a member of DHS Key Club and is four-year qualifier for the Oklahoma Honor Society and Indian Honor Society and has been in the National Honor Society for two years.
As a Parsons Scholars full scholarship recipient,Jaygen plans to continue her education at SOSU and will pursue a Psychology Major and a Vocal Music Minor.
In the community ,Guilbeau holds down a job at HTeaO in Durant and lives and works on the family farm .A
Her parents are Shae and Shannon Guilbeau. She has a brother, Atley, and a sister, Kryyan.
Congratulations to Laila Ahmed and Jaygen Guilbeau the Shamrock Bank Impact Athlete and Performing Arts Students of the Month for April 2024.
