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W e d n e s d ay, d e c e m b e r 11, 2024
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Jan Risher LONG STORY SHORT
On luck, monthly and lifelong
PROVIDED PHOTOS BY BRYAN TARNOWSKI
Early childhood teachers sit with their tiny students to help them eat during meal time at the West Ascension Early Learning Center.
NEW BEGINNINGS Former Donaldsonville store transformed into needed early learning center
BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer
To alter systemic issues like poverty and incarceration, Ascension Parish decided to start with its youngest residents. Ascension Parish Government partnered with Nicholls State University and Multistudio, an architecture firm in New Orleans that focuses on community-centered projects, to develop a quality early learning childhood center in Donaldsonville. Three branches of Ascension Parish — the parish government, the parish library and the Sheriff’s Office — collaborated with Multistudio and Nicholls to transform the B. Lemann & Bro. Department Store Building into the West Ascension Early Learning Center. West Ascension Early Learning Center after Multistudio renovation. The 150-year-old Lemann building was designed by the architect James Freret and once housed the oldest family-owned de- ceneaux, director of health and community River, Donaldsonville’s difference in the development for Ascension Parish. “Work- poverty rate and kindergarten readiness partment store in Louisiana. ing with our area legislators and our parish is lower compared to the east bank, ArGenesis of the project sheriff’s office, the legislature passed a bill ceneaux said, which was the catalyst for The idea of investing in early learning that allows us to use juvenile justice funds Ascension Parish choosing the town for came to John Diez, the former chief admin- for prevention. Those excess funds paid for the center. “The idea was really to bring a quality istrative officer of Ascension Parish, after the renovation and also support the center.” Multistudio entered the project while early start to education to the families and studying the Perry Preschool Project, a Michigan longitudinal study that tracked working on the new Ascension library children of Donaldsonville so that once a group of children with access to quality branch in Donaldsonville, which is down the they got to kindergarten they were ready street from the Lemann Building. to learn and read,” she said. early learning for 40 years. Lexi Tengco, the project manager and lead Tengco said that the dividends of an The study showed that the early learning group had higher academic performance, architect on the project, got to know Donald- investment in early childhood education higher graduation rates, higher test scores, sonville and the Ascension Parish Govern- pays off because children who participate greater positive attitude, lower juvenile ment as the project manager of the library in programs like this are more likely to graduate from high school, earn higher delinquency and higher earnings than the renovation. group that did not have access to formal ear“A host of different partners came togeth- income, avoid crime and are more likely ly learning. Diez proposed an early learning er to make this project possible,” Tengco to own their own home. “The redirected funding from a juvenile center as an act of prevention in the parish. said. detention center to an early learning cen“The early learning center is funded by the parish collection of a millage in Ascension Why Donaldsonville? ä See LEARNING, page 2G Parish for juvenile justice,” said Colleen ArOn the west bank of the Mississippi
Seven years ago, a friend asked me, “Do you say ‘Rabbit rabbit’?” I had no idea what the question meant. She went on to explain that some people, Sarah Jessica Parker specifically, believe that saying “rabbit rabbit” as the first words of a new month brings good luck. SJP is not alone. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt also followed the first-of-the-month-say-rabbitutterance practice. In 1935, the British Nottingham Evening Post reported that “Mr. Roosevelt, the President of the United States, has confessed to a friend that he says ‘Rabbits’ on the first of every month — and, what is more, he would not think of omitting the utterance on any account.” Ever since my friend told me about “rabbit rabbit,” I have paid more attention to the first day of the month. And, yes, I try to say “rabbit rabbit” before I say anything else. Do I believe it makes me lucky? I don’t know. Maybe? But then, what could it hurt? Surely, my awareness of the first day of the month has made me much more mindful of the passage of time. I’ve also turned the tiny ritual of trying to remember to say “rabbit rabbit” into a minipersonal celebration of the new month at hand. It may feel like just another morning, but it’s “rabbit rabbit” day. With so much ado about luck, I will confess that, in general, it confuses me. That is not the case for my husband. It doesn’t confuse him. He doesn’t believe in luck. “If I believe lucky things happen to me, then I have to believe bad-luck things happen too,” he said when I asked. “And I don’t.” I asked him, given that perspective, about the long-ago Sunday afternoon bingo game at our younger daughter’s school. Per normal, he had no idea what I was talking about. I refreshed his memory. The whole school community — plus grandparents, friends and neighbors — filled a gymnasium to raise money for the school. At least 350 people were playing bingo, most with multiple cards. There were likely more than a thousand bingo cards in play. When that many people play bingo, games don’t take long. The incredible part of that day was centered about a ninth-grade student named Collin Pooler from Lafayette, who happened to be in my daughter’s class. He was sitting a row over from us. Over the course of 10 games, he won at least three games, maybe four. He was playing with one card. When it came time for the
ä See RISHER, page 2G
HOW YOU CAN HELP: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Louisiana Inspired highlights volunteer opportunities across south Louisiana. If your organization has specific volunteer opportunities, please email us at lainspired @theadvocate.com with details on the volunteer opportunity, organization and the contact/registration information volunteers would need.
Acadiana
The Salvation Army of Lafayette, 212 6th St., Lafayette, with the holidays approaching, is calling on community members to step forward and volunteer to help serve meals, distribute toys to children and ring bells for the iconic Red Kettle Campaign. To volunteer, email Bruce.Williams@uss.salvationarmy.org or visit salvationarmybatonrouge.org.
Baton Rouge
The city of Baker Recreation Administration, 3325 Groom Road, Baker, has a mission to bring a variety of fitness, sports and leisure activities to the city of Baker and north Baton Rouge area.Volunteers are needed to be coaches and worker in the sports programs. To volunteer, call (225) 205-4652 or (225) 571-5160.
New Orleans
The Idea Village, 638 Camp St., New Orleans, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to identify, support and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans and the surrounding region. For volunteer opportunities, visit ideavillage.org.