DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
ADVOCATE THE LIVINGSTON -TANGIPAHOA
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, A p r i l 9, 2025
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Educators, schools, students honored Community news report Livingston Parish Public Schools recently honored its top students and professionals at its Recognition of Excellence Ceremony. Award recipients included school-level winners, as well as overall district winners. The ceremony was held at the Walker High School gymnasium. Nearly 500 school leaders, students, parents and community members attended. The district top winners included the following: n Elementary Student of the
LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD Year: Piper Howes, Holden Elementary; Middle School Student of the Year: Christopher Godso, III, North Corbin Junior High; and High School Student of the Year: Zachary McMenis, Live Oak High School. n Principals of the Year: Elementary Principal of the Year: Joshua Martin, French Settlement Elementary; Middle School Principal of the Year: Justin Wax, Denham Springs Junior High; and High School Principal of the Year: John
Mobile breast cancer screening coming April 11 Woman’s Hospital the Amite Community brings breast imaging to Center from 10 a.m. to Livingston Parish with 2 p.m., Monday through its mobile mammograFriday. There will be a disphy coach. A physician’s play of the students’ work order is required, and apat 1 p.m. on Friday. AdmisDarlene sion to the display of the pointments are strongly Denstorff encouraged. students’ work is free. AROUND The coach will stop at Participants will exLIVINGSTON plore creating still life RKM Primary Care in Springfield on April 11. using the grid method Call (225) 395-8022 to schedule. as well as a review of oil pastel Visit Mandy’s Primary Health- blending techniques. The teacher will be talented care in Denham Springs on April visual art teacher Jennifer 21 for the screening. Call (225) Wheeler. 791-2400 to schedule. For more information, call For more information includAmite City Hall at (985) 748ing the full mammography 8761. coach schedule, visit Womans. org.
Lenten gumbo Friday Dine on seafood gumbo or chicken and sausage gumbo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 11 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 726 Maple St., Denham Springs. The gumbo is $10 per plate. For information, call (225) 6652707 or email stfrancisgumbo. square.site.
Income tax help available The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is providing free tax preparation assistance at the Southeastern Livingston Center in Walker through April 15. For eligibility guidelines, other information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.cauw.org/ VITA or call (225) 923-2114.
Amite art workshop, exhibition The Amite Arts Council is sponsoring an adult art workshop Saturday, April 12. Registration is underway at Amite City Hall. There is a $10 registration fee. The workshop will be held in
Chewning, French Settlement High School. n Teachers of the Year: Elementary School Teacher of the Year: William Hibbard, South Walker Elementary; Middle School Teacher of the Year: Leslie Patin, Doyle Junior High School; High School Teacher of the Year: Daniel Eiland, Denham Springs High School; and New Teacher of the Year: Noelle Robinson, Live Oak High School. n Livingston Parish Public Schools Support Staff of the Year:
Theresa Bankston, Live Oak High School. All winners, as well as school designation awards, were recognized as follows: n Albany High: Student of the Year, Michael Kober; Support Staff of the Year, Ashley Whiddon; and Teacher of the Year, Sarah Smith. The school was named an Opportunity Honoree. n Albany Lower Elementary: Support Staff of the Year, Jessica Stratton; and Teacher of the Year, Laura Penalber. The school was named an Excellent Pre-K Site and Top Gains Honoree.
n Albany Middle School: Student of the Year fifth grade, Morley Bardwell; Student of the Year eighth grade, Abigail Lamy; and Teacher of the Year, Haley Thonn. The school was named a Top Gains Honoree. n Albany Upper Elementary: Support Staff of the Year, Pat Reitz; Teacher of the Year, Elizabeth Byrd Gautreaux; and New Teacher of the Year, Kevin Walden. The school was named a Top Gains Honoree. n Denham Springs Elementary:
ä See HONORED, page 3G
WILDLIFE
SUPPORT
Farmers market
The Four Seasons Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the city parking lot at Hummel Street and Railroad Avenue. Fresh vegetables, fruits and handmade items are on sale from vendors.
Mark your calendar n The Denham Springs Spring Festival is set for April 26 in Downtown Denham Springs. Hundreds of vendors, games, children’s rides, food booths and antique shopping are planned for the day. In addition, tour the Old City Hall exhibits and listen to music at the Old Train Station. n Denham Springs Food Truck Round Up is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 3 on Mattie Street. Line up includes Jakes Tacos, Big J’s Side Porch, Hebert’s, JayBrees Goodies and Swamp Daddy’s Kettle Corn.
Send news and events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes to livingston@ theadvocate.com by 4 p.m. Friday or call (225) 388-0731.
STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
Deborah Harris, Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries permitted wildlife rehabilitator for East Baton Rouge, wrestles Robby the raccoon after she went in his cage to clean it as Teddy Bear looks at the commotion at her home rehabilitation center March 2. Harris said Robby and Teddy Bear are ready to be released into the wild within the coming weeks.
said. Rehabilitators, veterinarians lifeInrehabilitator a room at her house with a “Raccoon Crosssign above it, Harris is caring for young racexperience an influx of animals ing” coons and opossums, a beaver, a skunk and five
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD
turtles — as well as the four newborns. These baby raccoons were found in an attic separated from their mother, so Harris stepped About a dozen animals around the room watch in to fill that role. The intense feeding schedule as Deborah Harris fills a thin syringe with kitten is a testament to her dedication to animals — and milk replacement to feed her newest additions: also that not just anyone can take care of strandfour newborn raccoons. ed baby animals. She has to do this five times a day and throughAs spring arrives in Louisiana, litters of wild out the night for several days until the three- baby animals will, as well. Louisiana Wildlife week-old raccoons can start suckling a bottle on & Fisheries wildlife rehabilitators and local their own. ä See WILDLIFE, page 4G “It’s just like baby care,” the Baton Rouge wild-
Staff writer
PROVIDED PHOTO
Shark Team members, from left, Adalyn Farrell, Madison Sanders and Mohamed Henni, work on labeling their equipment.
Denham Springs team is finalist in Solve for Tomorrow competition Community news report A Denham Springs High STEM team that created software and design for an app explaining a carbon capture project proposed for Lake Maurepas is headed to Washington to compete for a $100,000 prize.
And area residents can help the team win a prize by voting online. The Denham Springs High School STEM Sharks Enterprise Design Engineering Team has been named a national finalist for the 15th annual Samsung Solve
ä See TEAM, page 2G
French Settlement bowlers earn first district title
Bowling became a sport sanctioned by the LHSAA in 2005, but it wasn’t until two years ago that French Settlement High decided to dip its toe into the world of strikes and spares. Even then, it almost came as an afterthought when French Settlement middle Charles school math teacher Erik Willie decided to Salzer take his students bowling while on a field SPORTS trip. Not only did the students have fun, they ROUNDUP showed that they had ability. “I noticed that a few of them knew what they were doing, so I went to my principal and said, ‘Hey, what if we started a bowling team?,’ ” Willie said last week. “My principal said, ‘Have at
it,’ and here we are two years later.” Where they are is a place Willie envisioned the Lions would eventually build up to. Instead, while fielding a coed team of 10 students, the Lions made the Division II LHSAA playoffs for the second consecutive year. Ahead of any schedule Willie might have set, French Settlement was seeded eighth after posting a 10-1 record this season. “It’s taken me by surprise,” Willie said. “My goal for them was to make the playoffs by their senior year and just (last week) they got to face off against Archbishop Shaw, the
ä See SALZER, page 2G