FERRIDAY — Ferriday High School students will receive a little reward for their achievements through the remainder of the school year.

The Ferriday Police Department has teamed with Entergy Power Electrical Co. to give a stipend to students who excel academically.

Entergy presented a micro grant, amount of which has yet to be determined, to the Ferriday Police Department to begin these efforts.

Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen and the Ferriday Police Resource Department originally awarded students with various amounts of money for doing well in school, but Entergy will now fund that program.

“There has been a whole lot of criticism on what the kids were not doing,” said Ferriday Police Resource Officer Richard Madison. “So we decided to put a positive spin on it by rewarding those kids who behave well and excel in school.”

Madison said when the Ferriday Police Resource Department and Allen started the program, a positive change showed among students at Ferriday High School.

More students have made the superintendent’s list and the arrest rate for some students who caused trouble has decreased to zero, Madison said.

But Madison thinks rewarding money isn’t the only important factor when it comes to helping a student.

“We interact with students and attend their functions,” he said. “We want to show these kids that we care about them.”

Allen said rewarding students will push them to do well.

“It’s a chance to be positive,” he said. “We are really trying to reach and motivate these students.”