June

June 16, 2019

Ladies of Louisiana – Business (June 2019)

Casey David

Owner

Champagne Charlie’s Bubble Bar

Casey David Owner, Champagne Charlie’s Bubble Bar

Casey David is an entrepreneur and artist who has two very energetic little boys. She hails from Shreveport and is bringing the area an exciting new party prop! Casey spends her time working on various projects which led to her brainstorm idea. She had a horse trailer and needed something to do with it. Interested in the mobile concept of serving people, she wanted to do a food truck of some kind but had no basic cooking skills whatsoever….enter champagne! She transformed a two-stall horse trailer into an interactive bar with four taps and a full back bar. While most food trucks are a walk-up-and-order-and-leave trailers, Champagne Charlie’s Bubble Bar offers the customer a place to sit and enjoy crisp champagne, wine, beer and whatever the customer provides wants to supply! It has a bubble machine which is a huge hit with both children and adults! The trailer is available for weddings, events, parties and festivals. Travel is available.

June 15, 2019

Ladies of Louisiana – Military (June 2019)

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Sgt. Tonja Richard

Veteran

Louisiana Army National Guard

Tonja Myles/Sgt. Tonja Richard Veteran, Louisiana Army National Guard

Tonja Myles is a local outreach pastor at Love Alive Church, community activist and advocate, peer counselor, sought after counsel for community-based and system approaches, and a military veteran. Sgt. Tonja Richard, her maiden name, served as a military policeman in The Louisiana Army National Guard for nine years. She promotes mental health awareness and rehabilitation with sharing her life experiences of being in recovery from addiction for over 35 years, two-time suicide survivor, as well as a victim of childhood and adult sexual abuse. Her story is shared in published books, magazines, documentaries, and national television series. She is a passionate advocate of humane and ethical treatment of individuals with mental illness.

She has served on several boards and continues her mission as a servant leader in her community serving on The Mayor’s mental health advisory council, Veterans advisory council as well as a member NAMI. She is an active member of The Bridge Center of Hope board, which is the first mental health stabilization unit in the city of Baton Rouge. She is also trained in some of the country’s top suicide prevention programs such as ASSIST, Safetalk, mental health first aid for adults and adolescents, just to name a few. Tonja has received numerous national and local awards and recognition for her work and dedication to changing lives and systems she is passionate about.

Tonja gets her “hand on the pulse of the community “in her role as a weekly radio talk show host on Cumulus media Max 94.1 and 1460 WXOK. She discusses topics related to her listeners’ concerns, with her “real and raw” communication style. Her audience is empowered by intelligent conversations with expert guests, politicians, and community leaders. For 7 years she also hosted a TV talk show called “Choices, empowering you to make better choices so you can live a better life.” Tonja is a well-known local and national speaker. She has spoken on topics related to addiction, trauma, sexual abuse, mental health and suicide in schools, prisons, faith-based conferences, and business training. She is open and honest about her own life experiences in these areas and her path from victim to survivor. Tonja’s message is that proper treatment, family and friend support, faith, and self-care can equate to living a productive life. Her goal is to reduce stigma and bring hope that recovery is real. She says that her greatest accomplishment is being married to her husband Darren, of twenty-five years.

June 15, 2019

Ladies of Louisiana – Community (June 2019)

Stan Brock\’s

Black & Gold

Classic

Black & Gold Classic

Stan Brock is a former NFL lineman who played 13 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, 3 seasons with the San Diego Chargers and was both the Offensive Line coach and Head Coach for West Point military academy. When he saw one of his linemen lying in the hospital bed after losing his leg during a deployment, something changed. Looking around at these men and women risking everything for us, he knew that he needed to do something to support them. And that was the beginning of the Black and Gold Classic.

Stan Brock’s Black & Gold now holds events in Grand Isle, LA and in Portland, OR. They give the people attending their events amazing outdoors experiences from fishing with local professional guides to shooting clays over the Gulf of Mexico, holding corporate and public events so that everyone can support our military members.

Each year they choose organizations to support, most recently the Special Operations Warrior Foundation – supporting the families and children of those injured and KIA and First to Fight Foundation – helping service members transitioning out of the military. By raising money for these organizations, the Black & Gold has helped support the families of 35 special forces military KIA since May of 2018, along with their spouses and 77 children now living without their mom or dad. They have also been able to assist the thousands of service members transitioning out of the military with career services, community, and other resources.

You can find more information on their website at www.stanbrocksblackandgold.com.

June 15, 2019

Ladies of Louisiana – Schools (June 2019)

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Melissa Shaddock

Library Media Specialist

Thibodaux High School

Melissa Shaddock Libraryy Media Specialist

Two of my personal goals are to find the right book at the right time and to make lifelong readers out of students. I do this by attending conferences, keeping up with the latest in Young Adult (YA) fiction, and getting students involved in the community.

In May, I received a Donor’s Choose grant. The funds allowed me to purchase ten copies of four different books from a list of the latest award-winning YA books. They are all different genres and levels to reach a variety of students. Books from the grant will also be used to start reading groups this September. In September, I will begin student reading groups where I have asked different leaders of the Thibodaux community to facilitate the discussions. The first book is Sadie by Courtney Summers, which is about an 18-year-old girl searching for her younger sister’s murderer. Lafourche Parish District Attorney, Kristine Russell, has agreed to lead the group.

I also enjoy introducing my library club members to the arts, whether it is a field trip to a Broadway performance at the Saenger Theater or attending the Louisiana Book Festival each fall.

For the last few years, we have attended the Louisiana Book Festival at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. The festival is an excellent opportunity for students to meet dozens of YA authors by attending panels, book signings, and take photos. Last year they had the chance to meet Academy Award-winning actress Quvenzhané Wallis. Since many of the students have never seen the capital, we arrive at the festival early, so they get a chance to tour the building and view the state from the top of the Capitol Tower.

Another program I sponsor at THS is the Lafourche Parish Distinguished Service Program which encourages students to volunteer thirty hours each school year. This is an excellent opportunity to teach students the importance of giving back to their community. Students who complete the program are also eligible to receive a Community Volunteer endorsement on their diploma by the LDOE.

One of the most important things I have learned during my 24-year career is that the student who needs the most support is usually the one I would not expect. I try to be there and assist if I can, and if I am unable to do so, I will seek help from others in the community. I have obtained coats & jackets for students, provided assistance for paying for hotel rooms for homeless students, snacks to bring home on weekends, and delivering food baskets. Seven years ago, I was on a community project that started a Cinderella’s Closet, which has provided prom dresses for deserving girls.

In 2005, I joined Thibodaux Service League and signed up to play monthly bingo at the Cornerstone Foster Care Group home. I was surprised to learn that most of the students in the home were the ones who came to the library daily and felt like I needed to do extra for them. In 2012, a retired teacher friend started a non-profit group called JOTS Birthdays (http://www.jotsbirthdays.org) which provides birthday parties, aging out showers, and graduation parties for students in the home. Many of the students who reside at the Cornerstone Home feel that our Media Center is a safe place. These students know that I have a genuine concern for their well being and will usually let me know if there is something they need.

I believe it is essential to set an example to students by showing them kindness, compassion, and even a simple smile, which is the only one they might receive that day. My favorite quote is from the book Same Kind of Different at Me ~ “You never know whose eyes God is watching you through.”

Melissa Shaddock has been a Library Media Specialist in Lafourche Parish since 1995 and is currently at Thibodaux High School. She is a 1988 graduate of Loreauville High School; and received her Bachelor of Science in Library Science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1993. Outside of the library, Shaddock is an active member of the Thibodaux community. She completed Leadership Lafourche in 2002 and has volunteered numerous hours through the Thibodaux Service League (2005 – 2013), JOTS, and Thibodaux FUMC. She received the Marie Fletcher Award 2014 from Thibodaux FUMC and the Femmes Natales 2015 Citizenship Award.

Library Club Members at Thibodaux High School

June 15, 2019

Featured Recipe: Tchew’s Poolside Sliders

Chef Kyle Rome

Tchew’s Poolside Sliders

Poolside Pork Sliders

Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Creole mustard
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Steen\’s cane vinegar

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

6 lb. Boston butt
2 cups kosher salt
2 packs of Hawaiian roll slider buns

Method:

Season Boston butt with kosher salt on all sides
Place meat on the smoker at 225ºF for 14 hours or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 202ºF
Transfer the cooked meat to a large pan. Once cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the meat into pieces.

To serve, heat sliders in the oven at 400ºF for 8 minutes. Top warm sliders with a heaping of pulled pork and coleslaw.

Chef Kyle Rome Chef/Owner, Tchew\'s

A native of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Chef Kyle Rome found his passion for cooking at the age of six years old spending time in the kitchen with his Italian great-grandmother who taught him all the great traditional recipes, his favorite being spaghetti, and meatballs. As he grew older, he would spend weekends with his family at the hunting camp where he had the chance to learn about Cajun and Creole styles of cooking. Rome went on to train at the Louisiana Culinary Institute and began his professional career running several different kitchens across the nation.

In 2017, Rome formed the Cajun Gravy Foundation that joined chefs together to cook for first responders during natural disasters. This foundation was the first to arrive in Orange County, Texas to aid in relief efforts due to flooding in August 2017. He and his volunteers served over 19,000 meals in four days to first responders and military. Rome is the former owner of the Red, White, and Que food truck that was so popular in downtown Baton Rouge that he wanted to take it off wheels and begin a restaurant.

Making that dream come true Chef Rome opened Tchew’s, located in Prairieville, Louisiana, in April 2019. He transformed what was formerly a Sonic drive-in into a smokehouse and barbecue restaurant. Tchew’s features barbecue that is simmered to perfection over Louisiana pecan wood. Rome has also, kicked it up a notch by putting a new spin on traditional dishes. His most famous, The Rachel, a sandwich piled high with pulled pork that is topped with macaroni and cheese and house-made barbecue sauce and served between two thick slices of Texas toast.

Tchew’s was nominated for several categories including Best New Restaurant, Best Ribs, and Best Seafood, recently, in Best of Ascension and was featured as a new and innovative restaurant in 225 Magazine. Rome is also the owner of Kickstand\’s Kitchen, a catering company that features seafood, boiled crawfish, and many traditional Louisiana dishes.

Please look for Chef Kyle Rome, and Tchew’s on the upcoming episode of Man, Fire, Food on the Cooking Channel when it airs Wednesday, June 19th at 8pm CST.

June 15, 2019

Louisiana Summer Reading Program 2019

SUMMER
READING
PROGRAM
2019

A Universe of Stories

The Louisiana Summer Reading Program 2019,
A Universe of Stories:

Since 1984, one of the State Library of Louisiana\’s top priorities has been to improve literacy levels statewide through programming and outreach for all ages beginning with early literacy programming all the way up to adult reading programs. Current research on \”summer learning loss\” indicates that students can lose up to two months of reading proficiency if they do not read or participate in literacy activities during the summer months. This is cumulative, so those lost months can add up over time. To combat this potential learning loss for Louisiana students, the State Library of Louisiana provides the high-quality Louisiana Summer Reading Program (LSRP), with materials and training, to Louisiana\’s 340 public libraries, all of which participate in this annual reading program. On average, 110,000 children participate statewide. Additionally, over 2.5 million library materials circulate statewide in Louisiana during the LSRP, which is free and open to everyone in every parish in Louisiana. Moreover, those children registered with the State Library\’s Talking Books and Braille Library (TBBL) may also participate.
The specific programs offered by public libraries around the state that supplement and add value to the LSRP include a wide assortment of educational activities to draw families into the library and immerse them in literacy-related programming. These include creative writing, story times, STEAM workshops, book clubs, and engaging programs with a variety of performers including artists, musicians, magicians, exotic animal handlers, and other exciting guest speakers. These activities cultivate a love of reading in Louisiana\’s next generation and encourages students to continue reading throughout the summer. Last summer these programs were attended by 400,000 Louisianans of all ages.

Families are encouraged to visit their local public libraries in person or online to learn about specific LSRP incentives and programs available in their communities.

June 15, 2019

Mansion Garden Party

Mansion
Garden
Party

Garden Party at the Mansion

The Rose Long Garden

In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, Mrs. Peggy Martin returned to her parents’ home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Feeling overwhelmed because the storm took her parents, home and gardens, Peggy looked over into the garden, and a feeling of hope overcame her as she noticed some green growing. It became a plant of promise as it grew into beautiful pink roses. Peggy’s story and the roses have been featured in Southern Living and several other major publications. A cutting of this Katrina Survivor Rose was given to the mansion garden in 2016 and grew beautifully over the walkway arches.

Then in 2017, the Governor’s Mansion Rose Garden was named in honor of the First Lady’s dear friend, Rose Long, and Senator Gerald Long\’s wife, who was just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. In this rose garden, there is a bush to represent all 64 parishes as well as the Katrina Survivor Roses. The parishes that have contributed towards our Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation and have a plaque in front of their rose bush are: Ascension Parish, Beauregard Parish, Bienville Parish, Cameron Parish, East Carroll Parish, East Feliciana Parish, Grant Parish, East Carroll Parish, Grant Parish, Jackson Parish, Jeff Davis Parish, Jefferson Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lincoln Parish, East Carroll Parish, Grant Parish, Livingston Parish, Natchitoches Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. James Parish, St. Landry Parish, St. Mary’s Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Washington Parish, West Feliciana Parish, Winn Parish.

For more information on how your parish can be included in the garden, please contact Sandy McClelland at gmpfinc@gmail.com or (337)578-4063.

VISIT THE STORE

Please click the link to order and we thank you for your support of the Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation.

PRESERVATION FOUNDATION STORE

June 15, 2019

Anti-Human Trafficking – Cassie Hammett

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Words from
Cassie Hammett
Founder & Executive Director
The Hub: urban ministries

What does it take to end human trafficking? It takes a village, it takes advocating, it takes blood sweat and tears, and it takes being willing to go back to the drawing board over and over again when plans, strategies, and systems fail.

It takes investment, not just from the top, powerful few.

It takes investment by us all. The doctors, teachers, counselors, police officers, stay at home moms, Judges, Legislators, Pastors, bankers, waiters or waitresses, truck drivers, ER nurses or non-profit employees….it takes all of us.

Everyone has a role to play in ending human trafficking, whether they know it or not.

We must realize that Human Trafficking isn\’t just a \”cause\” or an \”issue\” to champion. Human trafficking affects people, and those lives are worth moving heaven and earth for. We must decide that we all have something in our hands that we can use to serve the vulnerable and forgotten. Our resources, influence, skills, time, power, hobbies, and our passion; we all have something we can give.

She was an ER nurse sitting in a Human Trafficking training at the end of a long shift. Most in the room did not want to be there. They blankly stared and sparsely took notes as I presented my guts out about why, as ER staff, especially at a state hospital where high-risk populations frequented, it was essential for them to know the signs and symptoms of human trafficking.

I left feeling that I was just another talking head to them, another seminar teacher delivering information that went in one ear and out of the other.

Two weeks later, our human trafficking hotline rang, and I answered. It was an ER nurse, the one who found herself in the dreaded-end-of-the-day training just weeks before.

\”I think there\’s a victim of trafficking in our ER. I was at the training and remembered what you said, and I believe that she is a victim. What do we do?\”

It was indeed a victim of trafficking. She had been beaten beyond recognition and was barely conscious. Her pimp was by her side with no plans of leaving the room. How would we ever get him away from her long enough to rescue her?

I drove to the hospital to assist the hospital staff in coming up with a plan, but when I arrived, the brave ER nurse had already decided what should be done.

\”I\’ve told the man that we have to take her to get an X-ray and that she would be gone for 20 minutes. I explained that because of radiation, he could not come. I\’m about to go get her and wheel her down to the X-ray room. That will give you about 20 minutes to get her out of here,\” she said through a shaking voice. She was choosing bravery WHILE being scared.

The nurse walked into the room and faced the man who appeared to be her pimp eye to eye. She wheeled the victim out of the room and into the Xray room where our team waited.

When the victim, whom we knew very well, registered we were there, a look of relief spread across her bruised and swollen face, and she began to weep. She knew she was free.

The nurse quickly stated, \”We\’ve cleared all the halls of the hospital leading to the rear exit, and there is a police escort waiting to escort you to the interstate. Good Luck.\”

She opened the door, and we ran that victim out of the back of the hospital and to her first breath of freedom in months.

One life snatched from the experience of human trafficking and given a chance to be free. How? The investment of an ER nurse. The decision she made to roll up her sleeves and make herself a part of the rescue.

Knowing only what she had learned in an hour training, she decided that she had a part to play.

She saw that one life as worthy of her time, energy, and attention and deemed her worthy of the many risks she took.

All of us have a part to play. And what is the result if we play our role? Rescue. As the Founder of The Hub: urban ministries, I want to say that I am beyond grateful to First Lady Donna Edwards for the choice she has made to use her time, talents, influence and platform for the most vulnerable populations in our state. She has seen her part to play and is playing it well.

Let’s all join her!

For more information about Purchased: Not for Sale or to inquire about being trained in Human Trafficking 101, visit www.thehubministry.com.

–Cassie Hammett
Founder & Executive Director
The Hub: urban ministries
www.thehubministry.com

June 15, 2019

Louisiana Fosters – Expansion of Foster Care to Age 21

Expansion of Foster Care to Age 21

Louisiana will extend foster care to age 21 for all youth in care on their 18^th birthday, following the recent passage and signing of Senate Bill 109.

Expansion of
Foster Care to Age 21

Louisiana will extend foster care to age 21 for all youth in care on their 18^th birthday,
following the recent passage and signing of Senate Bill 109.

SB 109, authored by Sen. Regina Barrow and included in Gov. John Bel Edwards’s legislative package, follows through on the recommendations of a legislative task force which found that extending the age of care would help improve outcomes for foster youth. The Governor signed the bill into law on June 6, 2019.

The voluntary program will allow the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide intensive services to aid in youths’ transition to adulthood.

Former foster youth, serving as interns through the Louisiana Institute for Children in Families, testified in the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, chaired by Barrow, about the impact that the continued support of extended care would have had on their lives.

“This is going to change the lives of countless youth in foster care in Louisiana,” DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters said.

Louisiana continues to work with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, as well as nonprofit partners Youth Villages and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, to implement its extended foster care program. The program began in 2018, following the passage of Sen. Ryan Gatti’s SB 129 (Act 649), which extended care for foster youths working toward a high school diploma or equivalency.

The new law will extend care to all foster youth who reach age 18 while in foster care, have not yet turned 21, and meet one of the following criteria: enrolled in a post-secondary vocational or educational program; enrolled in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment; employed at least 80 hours per month; or have a medical condition that renders the young adult incapable of engaging in any of these activities.

Youth who have already “aged out” of foster care will have the opportunity to enroll in the program.

For more information about Louisiana’s extended foster care program, visit www.dcfs.la.gov.

June 15, 2019

Blog – June 2019

JUNE 2019 BLOG

Volume 1, Edition 8

JUNE 2019

A word from the
First Lady of Louisiana

Happy June, my Friends!

June 20^th is officially the first day of summer. This year in Louisiana, it seems to have started a bit sooner, more like May 20^th. Summer can be both a challenge and a carefree time for parents and grandparents. Time to get away to take some downtime for yourself. To breathe in the warm air, sit in the shade, swim, play tennis, golf, and catch up with friends and family. Summer can also be a challenge for those who have a difficult time with the heat and those trying to take care of young people.

I was speaking to a friend the other day, a young mother, and she told me about the \”Staycation\” she put together with her children one summer. She decided to visit our State Tourist Center and pick up the many available pamphlets. What a great idea! Such a great way to learn more about our own state of Louisiana and learn more about its rich history, culture and have fun all at the same time. So, I reached out to our incredible Tourism Department, and they provided the information below.

$\"\"$ https://www.louisianatravel.com/

In June the Tourism’s Staycation campaign is focused on our Trails and Byways program since summer is an ideal time for a family road trip. They have included a brief overview of the trails program, which includes links to the program’s website https://byways.louisianatravel.com and brochure here.

They have pulled out details on 5 specific trails out of the 19 in the program. They vary in experiences offered from outdoor/fishing to history, music, and culture.

The Northup Trail, featuring the Epps House
The Zydeco Cajun Prairie, featuring the Eunice Liberty Theater
Toledo Bend Forest – Toledo Bend Lake Fishing
Louisiana Great River Road – Oak Alley (InVacherie)
Cane River Creole National Historical Park – Steel Magnolias

https://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/fifty-ideas-summer-fun

Lastly, I would like to encourage everyone to visit your local library. We have amazing libraries and librarians throughout our state. Summer is a great time to take your children and grandchildren to the Summer Library Programs.

These are just a few of the many opportunities and ideas to make your Staycation the best ever.

Geaux out and Feed Your Soul right here at home in our great state of Louisiana!

Enjoy your summer my friends,

The Louisiana Summer Reading Program 2019:
A Universe of Stories

Click to read more…

Louisiana First Foundation

Yes Mam, No Mam, Thank you Mam = Teach MAM!

TEACH MAM

We are excited to announce the roll out of the Teach MAM Pilot has begun! This initiative intends to support music, arts and movement in K-12 public schools across Louisiana! The Louisiana First Foundation has partnered with the New Orleans Arts Education Alliance on the Teach MAM (Music, Arts and Movement) Certification Program, an innovative new program to help schools measure and increase access to these enrichment areas. Five Louisiana School Districts were invited to participate in the pilot. In order to participate, we asked the districts to identify 2-3 schools in their district to invite to complete the Pilot Survey. The schools chosen were diverse in their offerings; for example: *A high-, middle- and low-performing school. *A school that offers high-quality programming in music, arts and movement, and a school that offers little to no programming in these subject areas.

Learn More

LOUISIANA FOSTERS

Expansion of Foster Care to Age 21 – Louisiana will extend foster care to age 21 for all youth in care on their 18th birthday, following the recent passage and signing of Senate Bill 109. SB 109, authored by Sen. Regina Barrow and included in Gov. John Bel Edwards’s legislative package, follows through on the recommendations of a legislative task force which found that extending the age of care would help improve outcomes for foster youth. The Governor signed the bill into law on June 6, 2019. The voluntary program will allow the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide intensive services to aid in youths’ transition to adulthood. Former foster youth, serving as interns through the Louisiana Institute for Children in Families, testified in the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, chaired by Barrow, about the impact that the continued support of extended care would have had on their lives.

Learn More

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING

What does it take to end human trafficking? It takes a village, it takes advocating, it takes blood sweat and tears and it takes being willing to go back to the drawing board over and over again when plans, strategies and systems fail. It takes investment, not just from the top, powerful few. It takes investment by us all. The doctors, teachers, counselors, police officers, stay at home moms, judges, legislators, pastors, bankers, waiters or waitresses, truck drivers, ER nurses or non-profit employees….it takes all of us.Everyone has a role to play in ending human trafficking, whether they know it or not. We must realize that human trafficking isn’t just a “cause” or an “issue” to champion. Human trafficking affects people, and those lives are worth moving heaven and earth for. We must decide that we all have something in our hands that we can use to serve the vulnerable and forgotten. Our resources, influence, skills, time, power, hobbies and our passion; we all have something we can give.

Learn More

GARDEN PARTY AT THE MANSION

The Rose Long Garden

Then in 2017, the Governor’s Mansion Rose Garden was named in honor of the First Lady’s dear friend, Rose Long, and Senator Gerald Long\’s wife, who was just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. In this rose garden, there is a bush to represent all 64 parishes as well as the Katrina Survivor Roses. The parishes that have contributed towards our Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation and have a plaque in front of their rose bush are: Ascension Parish, Beauregard Parish, Bienville Parish, Cameron Parish, East Carroll Parish, East Feliciana Parish, Grant Parish, East Carroll Parish, Grant Parish, Jackson Parish, Jeff Davis Parish, Jefferson Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lincoln Parish, East Carroll Parish, Grant Parish, Livingston Parish, Natchitoches Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. James Parish, St. Landry Parish, St. Mary’s Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Washington Parish, West Feliciana Parish, Winn Parish.

Click here to read more…

Ladies of Louisiana Making a Difference

COMMUNITY

The Black & Gold Classic is not just another event for the military. They use their standing as NFL players to bring awareness to the needs of service members and their families. Their mission comes from the heart and experience of just how much these men and women give to protect our nation. Stan Brock is a former NFL lineman who played 13 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, 3 seasons with the San Diego Chargers and was both the Offensive Line coach and Head Coach for West Point military academy. When he saw one of his linemen lying in the hospital bed after losing his leg during a deployment, something changed. Looking around at these men and women risking everything for us, he knew that he needed to do something to support them. And that was the beginning of the Black and Gold Classic.

SCHOOLS

Today’s school libraries are not the same quiet libraries that most of us grew up knowing. The Thibodaux High School Media Center is full of activity where students come to use the computers, read, hang out with friends, and buy a snack or drink from our Starbooks Café. Most importantly, it is a safe spot for our students – a place where they feel welcomed. Two of my personal goals are to find the right book at the right time and to make lifelong readers out of students. I do this by attending conferences, keeping up with the latest in Young Adult (YA) fiction, and getting students involved in the community. In May, I received a Donor’s Choose grant. The funds allowed me to purchase ten copies of four different books from a list of the latest award-winning YA books.