Riding on the cusp of Erath High's recent A+ rating and ranking as #1 (Non Selective) Public School in the Louisiana, the school received additional news of another state title. In January, Assistant Principal Mary "Liz" Vice found out that she was named the 2012 NASSP State Assistant Principal of the Year for Louisiana.

Each year, NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) recognizes 52 Principals in the country (one from each state, as well as Washington DC and the Department of Defense Education Activity.) All state winners are now eligible for the national assistant principal of the year award. Three finalists will be invited to attend the NASSP Conference from March 8th until March 12th in Tampa.

Vice is a 1971 Erath High Graduate, who attained a BS in Business Administration with a Major in Marketing from USL (currently UL) in 1975. She later returned to college and received her 2nd Degree at USL in Education in 1980. By 1989, she had earned her Master's in Administration from McNeese, as well.

Throughout her teaching career in three Louisiana parishes, Vice held various positions at the elementary, middle school and high school level. She taught 2nd grade in Plaquemine Parish at Buras High and 1st grade in Iberia Parish at Coteau Elementary. She then returned to her home parish. In Vermilion Parish, she taught 7th and 8th grade at Erath Middle, as well as 6th, 7th, 8th grade and reading lab at Seventh Ward Elementary. Vice also taught a number of years at Erath High School where she worked with the AIMS (at-risk) program, and also taught Algebra I Part 1, English I, Speech and Physical Science. Her final years in the classroom were spent in 2nd grade at Dozier Elementary.

The EHS leader shared that she had more than two and a half decades of classroom experience as an educator. She proudly stated "I would not trade my 26 years in the classroom. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to touch so many young lives and to have so many memories."

Vice, who became EHS Assistant Principal in 2005, also stated "My principal, Francis Touchet, has been a terrific mentor and teacher and has taught me so much. I am very fortunate to be a part of such a GREAT TEAM... administration, faculty, and staff. I enjoy watching our students grow intellectually and become mature young adults. They enter as freshmen and before you know it they are graduating.”

As part of the EHS team, she worked with the EHS Principal Francis Touchet, the faculty, staff, students and parents to attain the current school title as the #1 (Non selective) Public School in the State, coupled with an A+ rating. Vice shared how proud she is "to be the Assistant Principal of such a terrific school."

Erath High Principal Francis Touchet commented on Vice's recent win by saying "I am truly blessed to have Ms. Vice as my assistant principal and enjoy the working relationship that we have in making Erath High School what it is today." He finished by stating, "We came together as a team 7 years ago and have formulated an administration that works for the betterment of all students."

Upon learning about Vice's win, Vermilion Parish Superintendent Randy Schexnayder shared "We are very proud of Mrs. Liz Vice. She is a member of the administrative team at Erath High School which has recently been recognized for being the highest performing non-selective student public school in the state of Louisiana." Schexnayder added, "She is truly deserving of this honor and has brought great recognition to the Vermilion Parish School System."

Vice's parents are the late Bob and Jean Segura. Vice is a 2nd generation Erath High leader. Her father Robert J. "Bob" Segura was the EHS principal from 1964 until 1980. Vice is proud to have followed in his footsteps as an educator and leader in her hometown of Erath. Vice credits the Segura couple for her life choices. She stated, "My parents made me who I am today. I was very fortunate and am thankful for having had such loving and caring parents who instilled in me the value of a good education along with good character and values."

She is is married to Kirk Vice, who is currently a teacher and coach at Delcambre High. The couple has two children. Their daughter Lovey is married to Brett Wakefield and living in New Orleans. The Wakefield's have a three year old son named Cooper. Their son Ian is an Outside Plant Engineer for QC Data, a subcontracting company for AT & T.