Louisiana School District Receives National Education Recognition for School-Community Partnership
2006 National Civic Star Award for middle school outdoor education program
SAN DIEGO -- February 25, 2006 - An outdoor education program giving middle school students the opportunity to explore and maintain the diverse and depleting wetland areas of Louisiana has been chosen the 2006 National Civic Star Award winner. The annual awards program, sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators and Sodexho USA, honors excellence in school district and community partnerships that enrich student achievement and academics.
The St. Charles Parish Public Schools in Luling, La., is being honored for its LaBranche Wetland Watchers service-learning program that incorporates the resources, expertise, volunteers, equipment and funding of more than 35 federal agencies, corporations, universities and private organizations.
The program was originally created in 1998 by seventh-grade science teacher Barry Guillot to give students at the district's Hurst Middle School the opportunity to meet required academic standards through service to the community and local wetlands.
According to the district, the LaBranche Wetlands exhibit some of the greatest land loss along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The survival of the surrounding communities depends in part on wetlands' economic and recreational values. The wetlands also provide protection from floods and hurricanes. The school district felt strongly that wetland management needed to be a high priority for the community and the children who represent the area's future.
Each year more than 1,000 fifth- through seventh-grade students attend service trips to the school's adopted site in the Bonnet Carre Spillway and participate in activities such as water quality monitoring, soil and plant identification, tree planting and litter cleanup. All service activities are directly tied to required academic standards in each of their core subject areas.
Since the program started in 1998, seventh-grade students have spoken to more than 60,000 people across southern Louisiana concerning wetland values and challenges. Students and partners have provided more than 45,000 hours of volunteer service to the local community and environment. Students have planted more than 2,500 trees and hosted community litter cleanups which have collected more than 1,500 bags of trash as well as truckloads of dumped junk.
“The National Civic Star awards program recognizes that the vitality of a community is intricately linked to the success of its schools in educating children to be productive citizens,” said AASA Executive Director Paul Houston. “The LaBranche Wetland Watchers program is a perfect example of this partnership at work. And the program continues to grow. LaBranche middle and high school students will soon begin working with the Lieutenant Governor's office and Americorps to build the first public nature trail in the region.”
“St. Charles Parish developed a unique approach to help students and the community work--and learn--together to preserve the LaBranche Wetlands,” said Rod Bond, president of Sodexho School Services. “The program truly exemplifies excellence in school-community partnership, and we hope other districts will replicate this successful model. We are honored to present the 2006 National Civic Star Award to St. Charles Parish Schools. ”
As the National Civic Star award winner, the St. Charles Parish Public Schools receives $10,000 ($5,000 for the school district and $5,000 for the district's scholarship fund).
Sodexho USA and AASA also identified 34 state Civic Star winners, Both the national and state award winners will be profiled in a supplement to the March edition of The School Administrator.
The 2006 state winners are (in alphabetical order by state):
- Hoover City School District
Hoover, Ala.
Connie Williams, superintendent
Hoover Coalition Promoting a Safe and Healthy Community - East Valley Institute of Technology
Mesa, Ariz.
Sally Downey, superintendent
Innovative Connections - Springdale School District
Springdale, Ark.
Jim Rollins, superintendent
WatchDOGS - Salida Union School District
Salida, Calif.
Antonio Borba, superintendent
Los Arcos Learning Center - Montrose County School District
Montrose, Colo.
George Voorhis, superintendent
Citizens Using Innovative Problem Solving to Build Schools - Old Saybrook Public Schools
Old Saybrook, Conn.
Sal Pascarella, superintendent
Old Saybrook Intergenerational Community Asset-Building Initiative - Broward County School District
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Frank Till, superintendent
Read, Connect, Learn @ BHE Media Center Program - Gainesville City School District
Gainesville, Ga.
Steven Ballowe, superintendent
FairStreetSchool Community-School Initiative - Ridgewood Community HSD 234
Norridge, Ill.
Robert Lupo, superintendent
A Winning Combination: S.M.A.R.T Goals+ Savvy Mentors= Successful Students - Michigan City Area School District
Michigan City, Ind.
Michael Harding, superintendent
MCAS: Providing Students a SafeHarbor and Hours for Ours - Linn-Ma Community School District
Marion, Iowa
Katie Mulholland, superintendent
K-12 Business Education Partnership Program - Spring Hill USD 230
Spring Hill, Kan.
Barton Goering, superintendent
SpringHillHigh School Service Learning - Pike County School District
Pikesville, Ky.
Frank Welch, superintendent
LIBERTY: Libraries Involve, Build and Energize Readers . Transforming Youth - St. Charles Parish Schools
Luling, La.
Rodney Lafon, superintendent
LaBranche Wetland Watchers - Garret County Schools
Oakland, Md.
Wendell Teets, superintendent
Partners in Ecology and Restoration of Schoolyards - Somerville School District
Somerville, Mass.
Marie Ferrari, asst. superintendent
Somerville Early Childhood Advisory Council - Public Schools of Petoskey
Petoskey, Mich.
John Scholten, superintendent
COATS: Community Offering Alternatives - St. Paul ISD 625
St. Paul, Minn.
Patricia Harvey, superintendent
Site-based Decision-making Leadership Development - Independence School District 30
Independence, Mo.
Jim Hinson, superintendent
Independence Child Welfare Initiative - Helena Public Schools
Helena, Mont.
Bruce Messinger, superintendent
PEAK: Providing Enrichment Activities for Kids - BlairCommunity School District
Blair, Neb.
Steve Shanahan, superintendent
Blair-Seishin Exchange Program - School Administrative Unit 36
Whitefield, N.H.
Mountain ViewAcademy
Dean Cascadden, superintendent - Freehold Regional H.S. DistrictEnglishtown, N.J.
James Wasser, superintendent
Student Transition Employment Program - Bay Shore Union Free School District
Bay Shore, N.Y.
Evelyn Blose Holman, superintendent
Bay Shore-Brightwaters Summit Council - Wood County ESC
Bowling Green, Ohio
Douglas Garman, superintendent
Community Learning Centers of Wood County - Altoona Area School District
Altoona, Pa.
Dennis Murray, superintendent
School-to-Work Stakeholders Committee - Richland County School District 2
Columbia, S.C.
Stephen Hefner, superintendent
Reconnecting Communities and Schools - Marion School District
Marion, S.D.
Keith McVay, superintendent
Service Learning - Memphis City School District
Memphis, Tenn.
Carol Johnson, superintendent
Memphis City Schools Reads - Spring Branch ISD
Houston, Texas
Duncan Klussmann, superintendent
Spring Branch ISD Mentoring Program - Chittenden South Supervisory Union
Hinesburg, Vt.
Brian O'Regan, superintendent
Access to CVU - Winchester Public Schools
Winchester, Va.
Dennis Kellison, superintendent
Service Learning, Public-Private Collaboration Project - Touchet School District 300
Touchet, Wash.
Dan McDonald, superintendent
Project Citizen - Harrison County School District
Clarksburg, W.V.
Carl Friebel, Jr., superintendent
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AASA, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for over 13,000 educational leaders across America and in many other countries. AASA's mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. AASA's major focus is standing up for public education.
Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 110,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.
