Greetings,

First, let me mention that when one arrives on campus and comes to Webb Hall, one of our oldest buildings, currently our Administrative Headquarters, you will notice new parking spaces and a new garden area under the 100-year old Live Oaks. The garden was made possible by the group known as Lowe’s Heroes. Volunteers from our local Lowe’s store acquired all of the plants and materials and donated a couple days of their labor during the hottest part of the summer to accomplish a very beautiful entryway into our office building. Thank you Lowe’s Heroes!

On the Eastern edge of the campus, located between the Reception Center and the Scott Building, is a brand new playground made possible by the Jack and Dot Ritchie Family in their memory. This was a much needed addition to the campus which our youth are enjoying and benefiting from. The elements are particularly suited for children ages 10 to 17, boys and girls alike.

We are in the process of constructing a new swimming pool to replace the one that was built back in 1973. It would have been too costly to repair the 35-year old pool. A new state of the art pool located across from the Maintenance Building on the South Side of the campus will allow us to teach approximately 150 of our youth annually how to swim. Rarely do youth come into our care knowing how to swim. It is even more rarely that they leave our care without knowing how to swim.

In addition to new facilities, we have started two new programs. The first, is being made possible with a grant from the Governor’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program. We have added a faculty member to the staff at Howard School that will concentrate on Drug Prevention Education.

With a special appropriation made possible by the State Legislature, we are beginning a Vocational Educational program designed specifically for Foster Children ageing out of the Foster Care System. This is a cooperative endeavor with the Governor’s Office on Women’s Policy of the State of Louisiana. This program is called EMPLOY. It is an Employer Mentor Placement Learning Opportunity for Youth, which offers training and employment opportunities to youth who otherwise might not be able to secure employment. The primary objectives are to expose youth to career opportunities which are realistically attainable. It will allow them to gain skills applicable to a number of work related fields that have a shortage of applicants. This program will enable us to offer a complete continuum of educational programs from Remedial Education, to Academic Education, to GED Academics and finally Vocational Education.

These are some of the more significant additions and changes the main campus has experienced this year. Our Performance Improvement Procedures and Strategic/Long Range Planning Process keep our staff and Board of Directors focused on the total picture. Our partners in Ministry, which includes our donors and clients, allow us to develop the pictures. May all we do be pleasing to the sight of God, our Master Photographer.

In His Service,

Terrel DeVille
President/CEO