February

February 9, 2022

Feature: Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Let’s Keep
Louisiana Beautiful

Written by Susan Russell

Let’s Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Love the Boot Week is April 18-24

Written by Susan Russell

Keep Louisiana Beautiful invites Louisianans to work together to organize and participate in cleanups and beautification events during Love the Boot Week, our state’s week-long Earth Day initiative happening April 18-24. Across the state, we will see involvement from businesses, schools, families, individual citizens, and entire communities.

Litter in Louisiana
Litter is not a new problem for Louisiana’s 64 parishes. For decades, litter has become increasingly detrimental to our communities, leading to a multitude of repercussions such as:

Blight on natural areas, cities, towns, roadways, and waterways
The death of wildlife and marine life due to polluted habitat
Consequential decline in quality of life in neighborhoods
A negative impact on economic development, hurting investment, infrastructure, and tourism
Flooding caused by storm drains clogged with litter and debris

The Story Behind Love the Boot
Since 2000, Keep Louisiana Beautiful and its network of 39 affiliates focus on education, enforcement, awareness, litter removal, and beautification. Our goal is to promote personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Seeing the need for a statewide effort to address our litter issue, Keep Louisiana Beautiful developed Love the Boot Week. We couldn’t be more excited to get this vital campaign off the ground with the support of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Let’s Work Together
Sportsman’s Paradise won’t be litter-free overnight. Still, by coming together during Love the Boot Week, we can bring awareness to the issue and take steps toward achieving a more beautiful Louisiana.

Visit www.lovetheboot.org to register your Love the Boot Week event or sign up to volunteer for an existing opportunity. We look forward to seeing how you #LovetheBoot on social media!

Susan Russell, Executive Director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful
Susan Russell has served as Executive Director for Keep Louisiana Beautiful since 2014. Before leading the state office, she spent eight years as a local affiliate director for Keep Mandeville Beautiful.

Her experience specializing in non-profit management, strategic development, program development and implementation, grant administration, event planning, communications, and marketing spans over 30 years. She has worked for the national non-profit organizations, Special Olympics, and Volunteers of America during her career.

Susan serves on the executive committee for the Keep America Beautiful State Leaders Council and the executive committee for Keep Louisiana Beautiful. She serves as a board member for the Louisiana Recycling Coalition and the Ozone Music Education Foundation.

As Executive Director, she leads the only statewide organization focused on litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, and beautification. She oversees a grants program that has awarded over $3 million to fund local projects, offers environmental education lessons targeting K to 5th-grade students, conducts training and professional development, and supports local communities and a network of 39 affiliate organizations to increase their capacity to facilitate community and behavioral change.

You can view a video from First Lady Donna Edwards about this campaign here.

February 9, 2022

Blog – February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

VALENTINE'S TRADITIONS

Like most of you, we have summer traditions, a week with family at the beach. We have Thanksgiving traditions like Mom’s table of plenty, Ginger’s pumpkin roll, and Dad’s smoked turkey. Christmas traditions with our special Christmas stockings hung over the fireplace, special supper on Christmas Eve, etc. Most of us have fun family traditions.

This month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. I remember as a little girl knowing that every Valentine’s Day, my Daddy would give me a small heart-shaped box of chocolate candy, and Mom always received the large shiny foiled box of chocolates.

John Bel and I have a Valentine’s tradition that started on our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. The tradition began when we were stationed at Schofield Barracks, HI, in 1989, far away from home. Four thousand plus miles away from home, to be more exact. John Bel was gone quite a bit due to military training and protecting the Pacific. One afternoon after I got off work, I had to go to the PX, Post Exchange, to pick up a few things before going home. As I walked through the front door of the PX, I noticed a Valentine’s display. A heart-shaped waffle maker was among the many items suggested for a Valentine’s Day gift. Long story short, I purchased the waffle maker, and we have used it every year on Valentine’s Day. Our waffle maker is now 33 years old and a fun tradition for our children. One of my favorite meals is when we have our heart-shaped waffles and Cutrer’s sausage for supper.

Traditions ground us and give us stability in our lives and our families. And the good news is that traditions don’t have to cost you money or involve a lot of time. In Louisiana and the south, we have tons of traditions. Embrace the culture around you, embrace the love of friends and family, and you will experience a life of joy. Make up your own traditions or pass other traditions down through your family. Having family traditions gives life that special touch. What are a few of your favorite family traditions? We want to know. Ask your children and family what traditions they treasure the most. You will be surprised by their answers. Some of your family traditions may have started without even planning them.

This month’s blog provides encouraging words, reminders of heart health, and ways to bring a healthy start to your year by being conscious of your exercise and food options. It also offers profound words from Susan Russell on keeping Louisiana beautiful and the extraordinary story of a man who contributed to the building of the Mansion through his gift of carpentry.

Mardi Gras is March 1st this year. As we celebrate the many traditions celebrated around Mardi Gras, remember to take time to enjoy a piece of King Cake and laissez les bons temps rouler!

More thoughts on the true goodness of traditions.
https://youthfirstinc.org/the-importance-of-family-traditions/

To make our Edwards Family Valentine’s Sweetheart Waffle Recipe visit:
https://louisianafirstfoundation.com/featured-recipe-sweet-heart-waffles/

FEATURE Let’s Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Love the Boot Week is April 18-24

Susan Russell
Executive Director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Blight on natural areas, cities, towns, roadways, and waterways
The death of wildlife and marine life due to polluted habitat
Consequential decline in quality of life in neighborhoods
A negative impact on economic development, hurting investment, infrastructure, and tourism
Flooding caused by storm drains clogged with litter and debris

Visit www.lovetheboot.org to register your Love the Boot Week event or sign up to volunteer for an existing opportunity. We look forward to seeing how you #LovetheBoot on social media!

You can view a video from First Lady Donna Edwards about this campaign here.

LOUISIANA FIRST FOUNDATION

TEACH MAM

On January 24 – April 25, 2022, the Louisiana Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports will host its annual Own Your Own Health (OYOH) Physical Activity and Nutrition Challenges! This challenge is an opportunity for Louisianans to take ownership of their health and physical activity levels by completing various nutrition and physical activity challenges.

This event aims to help combat and eliminate people suffering from underlying health conditions. According to Dr. Johnny Jones, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at Baton Rouge General, chronic medical conditions, what many may call “underlying conditions” – include diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, and kidney disease. (https://www.brgeneral.org/news-blog/2020/march/whats-an-underlying-condition-/). Louisiana has the highest obesity rate in the country, high rates of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and high blood pressure.

Learn more

LOUISIANA FOSTERS

The Department of Children and Family Services hopes more families will make a difference in 2022 by becoming foster caregivers for youth in the State’s custody.

There are approximately 800 Louisiana teens in foster care on any given day. These youth account for 1 in 4 of the total population of children in Louisiana foster care. Only 6% of the State’s current foster families provide homes specifically for teens. When there aren’t enough families available for teens, it means teens must leave their schools, friends, activities, and communities. It means disconnection and instability at a time in their lives when young people most need consistency and support.

Fostering a teen in your community will help ensure stability for that young person as they continue to grow and develop. You can encourage and build the solid and supportive relationship they need to reach their fullest potential.

Learn more

ANTI HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Most people think of women as victims of human trafficking, but it affects males, too. The American Psychological Association reports that “mounting evidence, along with the accounts of front-line psychologists and social workers, shows that men and boys make up a significant proportion of victims of trafficking, validating Procopio’s realization. A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2012 estimated that men accounted for 25 percent of trafficking victims globally. Further, the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons estimated that 27 percent of all victims detected globally were children, and of those, one in three victims were boys.

Additionally, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline identified more than 24,000 cases of human trafficking in the United States from 2012 to September 2016. Of those, 13 percent—or more than 3,000—were men. Boys and men who have been trafficked present with issues that are similar to many victims of complex trauma: poverty, sexual abuse, violence, or living in a home where substance abuse takes place. Behaviors can include drug use, running away, depression, anxiety, and oppositional behavior disorders”. (APA.com)

Learn more

GOVERNOR'S MANSION Martin Brignac

In 1963, during the administration of Governor Jimmie Davis, the new Governor’s Mansion was built. The inspiration for the exterior design was Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana. During the build-out, a gentleman named Martin Brignac worked on the three E Bay windows famously seen in the Governor’s office, Breakfast room, and Capitol Suite located on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Mansion.

He was most recently known as an octogenarian local artist that created 3D art and was even acknowledged at the Governor’s Mansion during the Changing of the Arts for the Tricentennial of New Orleans.

Martin Albert Brignac Sr., a native of Lutcher, LA, and resident of Baton Rouge, LA, passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2019, at his home with his family at his side, at the age of 97.

The Governor’s Mansion will never forget Mr. Brignac and the hard work he dedicated to building the State’s home.

If you would like to help preserve the Governor’s Mansion, please visit our store to purchase one of our unique gifts!

https://louisianafirstfoundation.com/governors-mansion-preservation-foundation-store/

VISIT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION STORE

WOMEN'S HEALTH We Have Come A Long Way, Baby

Jessica Thibodaux, APRN, MSN, FNP-C

If you are old enough to remember the old advertisement slogan, “You’ve come a long way, baby,” then continue reading. In the decades since this campaign that appealed to the modern woman was first launched, there has been a dramatic increase in women’s contribution outside the home and more men staying home or working from home. Despite this progression and blending of traditional gender roles and responsibilities, exclusive biological differences in men and women influence cardiovascular health.

Heart disease had been traditionally thought of as a man’s disease by both men and women alike. As an answer to the call for greater awareness of women’s needs beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, more research was dedicated to women’s health concerns. As women age and lose estrogen during menopause, the risk of heart disease climbs to equal that of their male counterparts. This risk may be even higher in women of specific ethnic populations or even geographic regions such as south Louisiana, where risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and poverty are the highest.

In the past, women were less likely to seek care for their heart-related symptoms, and they were less likely to be referred to a specialist for cardiovascular evaluation even when they did. While presenting symptoms are highly variable, women may not exhibit the same typical chest pain from obstruction of larger heart arteries as what happens to their male counterparts. Women are more likely to have microvascular disease, which is a disease in the smaller arteries of the heart that may not even be detected on traditional testing, and present with simply shortness of breath, heartburn, fatigue, or palpitations.

While heart disease remains the #1 killer in the United States, the incidence has been on the decline in recent years. Programs that raise awareness and promote education have empowered women to know their risks, recognize their symptoms, make positive changes, and be their advocates. We really have come a long way, baby.

PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA 1. Community

CarniVOL 2022

The schedule is out for CarniVOL 2022! Join the United Way HandsOn Entergy Volunteer Center next week to celebrate the #MardiGras spirit of community at three service opportunities. View projects and sign up: http://UnitedWaySELA.org/Volunteer

PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA 2. Schools

Bridget Berry

Pass It On – A New Teacher Collaboration

“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.
Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” -Robert John Meehan

We, as teachers, are continuously learning from other teachers. Collaboration and mentorship from other teachers are essential for our growth process. During my first year as a teacher, I remember having the power to persevere thanks to having an inspirational mentor teacher, Mrs. Alanna Bradford. Her support, guidance, and encouragement helped me survive and thrive during my first year of teaching. As I reflect on my journey as an educator for almost 28 years, I realize that I have continued to learn from the exceptional teachers at the schools in which I have taught and have been able to build a network of collegial support from them.

These are some of my lessons learned.

Be a Life-long Learner– To be a teacher is to be a life-long learner. Teacher mentoring, teacher coaching, and teacher advice from colleagues is an essential ongoing professional development piece. Continue to listen and learn from others.

Collaborate– Each year brings new challenges and new learning opportunities. Each year, a new classroom awaits us, filled with students with different interests and learning styles. Collaboration with colleagues is essential to our growth as an educator and to meet the ever-changing needs of our students.

Embrace Your Uniqueness– As we learn from our mentors, instructional coaches, and colleagues, we are always trying to find a balance. This balance includes learning from other teachers while continuing to process our own unique and evolving teaching styles. As we learn from and collaborate with others, we examine how to assimilate what we have learned into our unique classroom using our own unique teaching style.

By reflecting on my own experience, I have utilized my opportunity as the 2021 Louisiana Public Interest Fellow and the support of my district to design a program to support the needs of new teachers in our district. Pass It On started with the need to provide new teachers with various opportunities to learn from and collaborate with other teachers and have mentors throughout the school and district to give advice. We began to Pass It On before the school year started with an in-person induction professional development day. At the beginning of the school year, each teacher was also assigned a school-based mentor teacher who would provide daily support and guidance. In addition, an instructional coach at the district level was assigned to new teachers to provide hands-on instructional support in the classrooms. Finally, Pass It On also provides a virtual collaboration every two weeks. These collaborations discuss a specific education topic. During meetings, our district’s veteran teachers share advice and take questions from our new teachers. The Pass It On virtual sessions allows each teacher to learn from various veteran teachers or mentors, examine their perspectives, and assimilate what they have learned into their classroom. As a result, the overall program provides teachers with many learning opportunities.

Some of our favorite meetings involved all of our district’s principals and a teacher from each school sharing tips for successful Compass observations. Still, another meeting involved all instructional coaches in the district sharing advice about examining and using student data to drive instruction. In another meeting, veteran teachers shared classroom management tips. Some Pass It On sessions have also hosted special honorary guest presenters such as Grammy Award Winning Educator of the Year, Mickey Smith, Jr; Torrence Williams, 2017 the Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year; Trinette Landry Wallace, the Louisiana 2021 Middle School Teacher of the Year and Louisiana Public Interest Fellow; and Miranda Britt, coauthor of The Tier One Curriculum Trap.

To sum it up, the collaborations through Pass It On sessions allow teachers to gain a community of mentor teachers and various educational perspectives. Here is what educators from our program have to say:

“From teaching me how to set up and maintain a classroom structure to knowing when to leave the work at home and take care of myself, this program has been extremely beneficial to me! There’s not a single meeting that hasn’t given me something to go home and reflect upon: whether it was something about the classroom or just knowing I wasn’t alone in the first year.” – Kaelin Maloid, Teacher at Livonia High School.

“The Pass It On Program is the exact mentorship and more that I wanted when searching for a school district to begin my first year of teaching. This program has equipped me with the skills I needed to become a better educator and connected me with a network of people who are glad to provide advice and assistance to increase my success in the field of education.” – Faith McFadden, Teacher at Stem Magnet Academy of Pointe Coupee.

Even though our Pass It On virtual collaborations facilitate and support the growth of new teachers, each session has allowed me to learn and grow as a teacher. I have enjoyed watching the growth and collaboration of our teachers in the program and look forward to continuing Pass It On in the following school years. Our growth potential is unlimited, and collaborating and seeing different perspectives is genuinely a valuable resource.

-Bridget Berry
2021 State Teacher of the Year Finalist
5th Grade Teacher at Stem Magnet Academy of Pointe Coupee
Pointe Coupee Parish Schools

Twitter: @BParkerberry

PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA 3. Military

Honoring Black Veterans During Black History Month

General Charles McGee

During Black History Month, we will honor the Black men and women who have served our state and country. Our first feature is Gen. Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airman, who recently passed at the age of 102.

Before enlisting in the Army, Gen. McGee pursued entrance to an elite corps for pilot training. He was chosen and sent to Tuskegee Army Air Field where the climate was ideal for year-round flying. Most didn’t finish pilot school, but Gen. McGee did and earned his wings in June of 1943. During his remarkable career, he flew a total of 409 combat missions in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Gen. McGee, who held many command posts through the years, received the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the French Legion of Honor and the Bronze Star, among other decorations.

Read more about Gen. McGee in a New York Times article about his life and service at https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/16/obituaries/charles-e-mcgee-dead.html.

FEATURED RECIPE Superbowl Snacks - Poppy Seed Sandwiches

It is almost time for the big game!
The Governor and First Lady will celebrate with friends and serve some of their favorite South Louisiana snacks.
Here is one of First Lady Edwards’ favorites:

Cheers to all of our Louisiana players in the Super Bowl!

Ingredients:

1 ½ sticks butter
3 T mustard
3 T Worcestershire
2 T poppy seeds
1 small onion, chopped fine
12 Hawaiian Rolls
1 pound thinly sliced ham
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese

Directions:

Sautee onion in one stick of butter until onions are no longer opaque

Add:
3 T mustard
3T Worcestershire

Stir and blend in 2 T poppy seeds

Slice Hawaiian Rolls down the middle

Place sauce on each side

Place ham slices on the bottom

Place cheese on top of ham

Butter the tops of the bread

Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

MEMORABLE VERSE February 2022

THE FIRST DOGS The First Dogs wish you a happy Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras!

MEET OUR EDITOR Delery Rice

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Delery has lived there all of her life except during undergraduate school and a brief stint in Seattle, WA. She is a mother to four boys, ranging in ages from 21 to 16, and they are the heart and soul of her life.

Delery earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and Master’s Degree from Louisiana State University. She completed a fellowship at Loyola University, New Orleans Institute of Politics, and currently attends Harvard Kennedy School of Public Policy. Her volunteer work has mostly evolved from issues that have affected her personally. Actively engaged in disability rights advocacy, Delery has testified numerous times in the Louisiana Legislature regarding issues that affect persons with developmental disabilities. She served as the chair of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, worked for seven years directing regional advocacy efforts and is a graduate of Louisiana’s Partners In Policymaking.

March 10, 2021

Teach MAM – Preservation Hall Lessons

Teach MAM

Teach MAM: An Exciting Partnership to Strengthen Arts Education Across Louisiana

Preservation Hall Lessons

TEACH MAM

Preservation Hall Lessons
Free Resources for Teachers Anywhere

Preservation Hall, the storied jazz venue in New Orleans, has been the musical home for hundreds of Louisiana’s most notable musicians. Its namesake Preservation Hall Jazz Band has traveled the globe for decades, keeping traditional New Orleans music alive and beloved. Ten years ago, the Preservation Hall Foundation formed to protect, preserve and perpetuate New Orleans music. One of its pillars is passing the tradition down from generation to generation through various music education efforts.

In 2021, the foundation launched Preservation Hall Lessons, a series of online music lessons for young people that features members of the Hall’s musicians’ community. This free, online, interdisciplinary resource is available to teachers and music programs nationwide!

Preservation Hall Lessons is designed for K-12 students and includes content focused on introductory and advanced techniques for the range of instruments in a traditional jazz band, stylistic tips, and the cultural and historical context of New Orleans music. There are currently 22 lesson plans featuring exclusive videos and support materials, with more to come in the months and years ahead.

Each lesson includes an outline of educational standards addressed, the lesson’s objectives, and how to apply and evaluate that lesson. There are safe, natively-hosted videos, google docs and google slides, and many relevant tools and links to support each exercise.

Whether a classroom is “in-person” or virtual, whether students play instruments or simply enjoy music, whether one is seeking creative ways to teach math or social studies or art, there’s a wide range of lessons to meet various needs.

Nothing could replace the experience of a live performance or lesson at Preservation Hall. Still, these lessons reflect the spirit and revered traditions celebrated at the Hall by its cherished musicians.

Knowledge of and a love for New Orleans music is one of the best exports Louisiana can offer.

Please help spread the word by sharing the link. The site is easy to navigate and explore — and you can also visit the social media pages on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. If you have questions, feedback, or introductions to educators, please contact info@preshallfoundation.org.

Link to lessons: https://lessons.preshallfoundation.org

: Students with PHJB trumpeter Branden Lewis - Preservation Hall Foundation

: Louis Ford, Joe Lastie, Richard Moten, Mari Watanabe with student - photo by Camille Lenain

: Sensory Friendly Family Day - photo by Camille Lenain

: Empty Preservation Hall in February 2020 - photo by Mary Cormaci

: Preservation Hall sign and gate - photo by Shannon Brinkman

: Preservation Hall as seen from St. Peter Street - photo by Shannon Brinkman

February 5, 2021

Global Human Trafficking Summit 2021

2021 Global Summit
January 28, 2021
Texas

2021 Global Summit – January 28, 2021 – Texas

The State of Louisiana continues to demonstrate its commitment to eradicating human sex trafficking across our state and country. First Lady Donna Edwards has been relentless in raising awareness in Louisiana and now across the globe! We are so blessed to have her and her husband, Governor John Bel Edwards, leading our state and taking a firm stand against human trafficking.

On January 28, 2021, First Lady Edwards held her second virtual Global Human Sex Trafficking Prevention Summit. She was honored to partner with First Lady Cecilia Abbott and the State of Texas Governor’s Office. The purpose of this Summit, similar to the first, was to convene First Spouses, international, national, and state leaders and raise awareness about the horrible crime of trafficking and to highlight best practice strategies implemented in the State of Texas to address the crime and aid victims. With more than 200 participants, the Summit began with a welcome from First Ladies Edwards and Abbott, an invocation from Bishop Joe Vasquez from the Diocese of Austin, and Bill Wolfe, Deputy Director of the Office of Victims of Crime at the U.S. Department of Justice who shared a summary of the national perspective on human trafficking. Andrea Sparks, Director of Governor Abbott’s Child Sex Trafficking Team, gave a brief overview of the Texas Model and then introduced the presenters, each of whom shared a summary of their work to achieve one of the objectives in the Texas Model: Protect, Recognize, Recover, Support Healing, and Bring Justice.

At the close of the Summit, First Lady Edwards announced a new partnership with the First Lady of Texas, Cecilia Abbott, to form a national coalition of First Spouses working together across the nation. The coalition will shed light on the scourge of sex trafficking and promote best practices and collaborative efforts to end it in all its forms.

First Lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott and the Texas Governor’s Office were grateful for the opportunity to share the Texas Model to address the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth (CSEY) with other states at the Summit. There is so much more to share, and we invite anyone who wants to learn more to visit our website and reach out to learn more! The Texas Child Sex Trafficking Team is already hearing from other states who want more information on some of the best practices highlighted in the Summit. This week, Texas conducted a training for the State of Louisiana on Care Coordination for child victims.

Texas is incredibly honored to partner with First Lady of Louisiana Donna Edwards to engage First Spouses across the country to fight against human trafficking. One of the major activities will be to highlight research-based and promising practices from all over the country on various ways to address human trafficking. We look forward to learning along with all the states. By working together to shed light on human trafficking and to share proven programs on how to prevent it, recognize it, and help recover and support the healing of survivors, and bring justice to exploiters, we will strengthen our individual state efforts and create a collective impact that will get us closer to the goal of eradicating human trafficking in the United States.

You can view resources from the Summits here:
https://louisianafirstfoundation.com/2020-global-human-trafficking-summit-resources/

February 5, 2021

Anti-Human Trafficking – Global Human Trafficking Summit 2021

Global Human Trafficking Summit 2021

Global Human Trafficking Summit 2021

Louisiana and Texas Join Together
for the Second Global Human Trafficking Summit

January 28, 2021

You can view resources from the Summits here:
https://louisianafirstfoundation.com/2020-global-human-trafficking-summit-resources/

February 4, 2021

Featured Recipe: King Cake

NEW ORLEANS STYLE
KING CAKE

NEW ORLEANS STYLE KING CAKE

Ingredients:

DOUGH
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) Rapid Rise yeast
1 cup milk
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 12 pieces

CINNAMON FILLING
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

ICING
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

DECORATION
Purple, green and yellow or gold sugars or sprinkles
Miniature plastic baby

Directions:

Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl of stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120°F to 130°F.
With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. In small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.
Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 – 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. To hide the baby in the cake, if desired, make a small slit in the bottom of the cake and put the miniature plastic baby in after the cake has cooled.
Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

EXPERT TIPS

This recipe uses Rapid Rise yeast which eliminates the time consuming first rise in a typical brioche recipe.
Use a pizza cutter to easily cut dough into strips.
The cake can also be made without braiding. Just roll up the dough jelly roll style after spreading the filling.
Mardi Gras conjures up images of fun, frivolity and feasting and no Mardi Gras celebration would be complete with a colorful King Cake. A brioche or sweet roll dough is braided, baked in a circle and decorated with icing and purple, green and gold sugars. Kind of like a crown shaped cinnamon roll all dressed up for a party.

February 4, 2021

People of Louisiana – Military (February 2021)

COVID-19

Vaccination Information
For Veterans

COVID-19 Vaccine Information For Veterans Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans who are enrolled in the federal VA health care system and would like to receive a COVID-19 vaccination should contact their VA Medical Center at one of the hotline numbers below:

Alexandria VA Health Care System in Alexandria

318.483.5083

Vaccinating veterans enrolled for VA health care who are 75 years and older or are in high-risk groups.

Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport

318.990.5820

Vaccinating veterans enrolled for VA health care who are 75 years and older or who have serious underlying health issues as determined by the federal VA.

Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans

504.507.2819 or 800.935.8387, ext. 72819

Vaccinating veterans enrolled for VA health care who are:

65 and older
ages 16-64 in high-risk groups (Dialysis, Chemotherapy, Homeless or congregate living, Long-term care facility, Spinal Cord Injury (inpatient or outpatient) and Transplant)
ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions as defined by CDC (Cancer, Chronic kidney disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies, Obesity and Severe Obesity (BMI ≥30), Sickle Cell Disease, Smoking, Type II Diabetes and Pregnancy)
any age and considered essential workers as defined by CDC (First responders (firefighters, police), Health care workers, Education (teachers, support staff, daycare), Agriculture and food processing workers Manufacturing, Corrections workers, US Postal Service workers, Public transit workers, Grocery store workers, Transportation and logistics, Food service, Shelter and housing (construction), Finance, IT and Communication, Energy workers, Media workers, Legal workers, Public safety (engineers) and Water and wastewater workers) (Must bring proof of work.)

Some designated family caregivers may qualify for vaccines.

Family caregivers who are enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) are eligible for vaccination when the veteran they care for becomes eligible. If the veteran you care for meets the criteria above, both you and the veteran may be able to get vaccinated now.

If you are a veteran and are not eligible to receive a vaccination through the federal VA health care system, you may be eligible to receive it through the state’s vaccine allocation. To find out if you’re eligible and to locate a vaccination site near you, visit https://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine-locations/.

Note: This information is as of Monday, Feb. 1. Any updates will be posted on the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs’ website and social media pages.

For more information about LDVA, visit vetaffairs.la.gov, email veteran@la.gov, call 225.219.5000 or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

February 4, 2021

People of Louisiana – Schools (February 2021)

SARAH GROS

Alice Boucher Elementary, Lafayette Parish

Assistant Principal and Certified Special Education Teacher

2018 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Finalist

“It always seems impossible until it is done” – Nelson Mandela

SARAH GROS

Alice Boucher Elementary, Lafayette Parish

Assistant Principal and Certified Special Education Teacher

2018 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Finalist

“It always seems impossible until it is done” – Nelson Mandela

March 13th took us all by surprise. Public schools in Louisiana closed their doors after the governor signed a proclamation in the hope of slowing the spread of COVID -19. I am a longtime special education teacher and currently an assistant principal. I will share what I saw when the pandemic hit, some positive things that have already occurred, and some things I know will eventually come from this experience.

In March, daily schedules, routines, and schools abruptly changed. At first, there were endless questions, and even with guidance from the Louisiana Department of Education, we, the school leaders, had to find the answers. At first, so many things seemed impossible. In time, however, situations that seemed impossible became possible. These possibilities were especially true in regards to a particular group of students, our special education students.

Most special education students thrive on structured routines. The pandemic, however, unexpectedly interrupted patterns worldwide. As adults, stress and anxiety levels rose throughout the pandemic, and this only intensified for our special education students who are still learning coping strategies. Whether participating in face-to-face instruction or distance learning, students learn how to manage new routines, including flexibility and how to cope with unscheduled change.

As special education teachers, we want to give our students the world. When I was a special education teacher, I incorporated a sensory room and therapy dog into my classroom. I wanted my students to have access to a sensory room because sensory rooms can help special education students with auditory, vestibular, and tactile needs. The purpose of a sensory room is to calm overstimulated students, engage students who are disengaged, increase cognitive/physical/ social/emotional growth, and reward positive behavior. Sensory rooms provide students with centered sensory experiences that facilitate sensory regulation, sensory awareness, relaxation, and focus. For example, an energetic student with a high arousal level benefits from rhythmic linear swinging or heavy theraband exercises for “heavy work” activities to calm and focus.

In contrast, a student who presents with low energy or lower arousal level benefits from trampoline jumping or crawling in a sensory tunnel to help alert the student for learning. All of the exercises directly affect the vestibular system and proprioceptive system (positioning in space), affecting mood and arousal levels and allowing for self-regulation to occur. Even though sensory rooms tailor towards individual student needs, some staple sensory room equipment includes a platform swing, bubble tube, fiber-optic lighting, tents, ball pit, and sensory bottles/tubs. As a Sped teacher, I also brought a therapy dog named Roux into the classroom to support my students’ academic, emotional, and social needs. Therapy dogs in the school setting have shown to increase empathy, motivation, confidence, mood, and interest in literacy, language, gross motor skills, attention to task, and acceptance of social interactions. Although I am not a special education teacher today, the Sped teachers at our school, and others elsewhere, I am sure, employ similar strategies to help meet their students’ needs.

During this pandemic time, things look different in the world of a Sped classroom, however. Some students are learning on campus, and others are learning from home. Even for those students who are not on campus to experience the benefits of a sensory room or therapy dog, teachers are still making an incredible difference. Educators are uniting to create a positive impact on their students. Teachers are innovative problem solvers in nature. Even though some of our students are home completing distance learning, teachers have found ways to make impossible situations possible for our students in the special education program. For example, educators have a unique opportunity to Zoom into the homes of our students. This opportunity allows the teacher and speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and adaptive physical education teachers a chance to involve the entire family. Zooming also helps address needs in the home, not just at school. Zooming into our students’ homes allows for a heightened platform of family education focusing on students’ specific needs. Many special education students (especially in elementary) require significant support at home to complete distance learning.

Some special education students may find learning through an online platform isolating without typical social interactions between peers. However, even with technology glitches, there is always a positive. School systems, administrators, and special education teachers have put many things in motion to assure students’ needs are met during the pandemic. Some of these things include providing 1:1 devices for students, confirming students are on the correct educational platform to meet students’ individual needs, and ensuring all students have access to the internet. School systems and special education teachers have worked hard to make sure special education students have appropriate accommodations, related services, and assistive technology. School systems and administrators solidified safety plans, professional development, and meal programs for students. Special education teachers worked with students and their families to help students adjust to new routines and sensory needs, such as wearing a mask. Even though it has been a difficult road for many of our students, it has been a priority for educators to keep special education students fully active in their education and parents fully informed. The outcome has been a positive one.

At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, no one could have envisioned the year turning out as it did. In March 2020, life, as we knew it as educators, changed, and it was hard. It was hard for teachers, school leaders, students, and families. Life as we all knew it changed, and it was hard at first for everyone to adjust. Educators, being the perserverers that we are, leaned on our professional training. Through working together, we began to make what at first seemed impossible start to become possible. Through it all, I’ve learned many things. One thing that stands out to me is that our students are determined, intelligent, and resilient, and our teachers are true heroes. In March of 2020, many things seemed impossible. However, in February 2021, I see new opportunities emerging for our special education students through their newly acquired skills.

February 4, 2021

People of Louisiana – Business (February 2021)

NOLA
DMC

Private Tours of House Floats

NOLA DMC Private Tours Of Mardi Gras House Floats

Let NOLA DMC take you on a private tour of the Mardi Gras house floats!

Are you looking for a fun & safe way to celebrate Mardi Gras? Grab your Family (household) & reserve your unique private tour of the Mardi Gras House Floats, with private transportation and fun drinks!

A portion of the proceeds benefits the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation, which supports Louisiana’s hospitality industry workforce.

Call 504.267.0662 to book your experience.

Tours are available from February 2, 2021, to February 16, 2021 (Mardi Gras Day)

Includes:

Round trip transportation
Two (2)- Three (3) hour private customized tour of the Krewe of House Floats (Pick your favorite neighborhood)
Customized map of House Floats
Facemasks & hand sanitizer provided
Two (2) Stops along the way for food, beverage & restrooms
Complete pre-event and on-site management by NOLA DMC

Transportation options:

Basic Mini Coach – From $49 per person with a group of 14 guests (Household)
Basic SUV – From $89 per person with a group of 5 guests (Household)
Limo Sprinter – From $69 per person with a group of 8 guests (Household)
Streetcar bus – From $89 per person with a group of 14 guests (Household)
Light-up Bikes – From $99 person with a group of 6 guests
Pedicabs – From $179 per couple (1 hour)

Enhancement options:

New Orleans Professional Tour Guide
Popeye’s Chicken – Delivered to Mini Coach/SUV/Limo Sprinter
Kid’s Mardi Gras Bingo
Mardi Gras Beads/Feather Boas/Mardi Gras Masks
Mardi Gras Decorations for your transportation option
Custom face Masks and more

Call 504.267.0662 to book your experience.

February 4, 2021

People of Louisiana – Community (February 2021)

HIRE A
MARDI GRAS ARTIST

House Floats

Hire A Mardi Gras Artist House Floats

In November of 2020, Mayor of New Orleans, Latoya Cantrell, cancelled Mardi Gras due to obvious complications related to COVID-19. That cancellation, however, came with a challenge: Find creative ways to celebrate Mardi Gras safely. New Orleans answered that call and citizens began transforming their homes into Mardi Gras floats!

“Hire a Mardi Gras Artist,” is one of the results of this challenge. The project is the brainchild of artist and float designer Caroline Thomas. She was instrumental in the grassroots effort aimed to transform 40 Orleans Parish homes into Mardi Gras floats with a bonus of putting laid-off artists back to work. The movement blossomed and is lending joy and inspiration to the entire city.

The idea for “Hire a Mardi Gras Artist” came to her after several people asked her to decorate their homes. Thinking there might be an opportunity to put the whole industry back to work, Thomas approached Krewe of Red Beans and Feed the Second Line founder Devin De Wulf.

In an article originally published by “How magical to unleash the artistic ability of the professionals and help them at the same time because they just got laid off,” De Wulf told Southern Living. “This is an industry where the workers have never been celebrated or appreciated. They make beautiful floats, but nobody knows who they are. We want to celebrate them and put them back to work.”

Most people aren’t aware just how challenging it is to build a Mardi Gras float—it’s involved, skilled, and expensive. “Hire a Mardi Gras Artist” has to raise $15,000 to bring just one house float to life.

There are two ways to give your home or business the Carnival treatment: either by commission or by donating to the organization’s crowdfunding effort. Each time they reach their $15,000 target, a raffle occurs. Everyone who donates is entered into the raffle.

“One person who donated $25 got their house decorated,” De Wulf said with a laugh.

Each house creates nine jobs, plus a gig for local musicians at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“This is proof that New Orleans is going to find a way out of this because we’re stubborn and resilient and we always find a way to add some color to a dreary situation,” Thomas told WWL.

It’s not just carnival artists and lucky homeowners who benefit either. Twenty percent of the funds raised by Hire a Mardi Gras Artist go to the program’s sister initiative, Feed the Second Line, which buys groceries for New Orleans culture bearers impacted by the pandemic.

“For anyone who loves New Orleans, it’s an incredibly direct way to support our culture,” said De Wulf.

Visit www.HireaMardiGrasArtist.com to learn more.

You can view the artistry here: