Cultured education

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Managing Editor

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards traveled to Ville Platte High School on Wednesday to announce some big news - French Immersion is coming to Evangeline Parish.
This program, which was made possible through a partnership between the Evangeline Parish School Board and CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana), will now be offered at Ville Platte Elementary and Mamou Elementary beginning next school year.
All the hype around the French immerssion program comes from the fact that is can be used as a tool to preserve a heritage that Edwards called “special,” while also helping students perform better academically.
Edwards said, “This program is so important because it has been proven that students who know a foreign language do better on average in school.
“This also provides a way to preserve the French language in Louisiana. I don’t speak any French, but I do know that it is one of the things that makes Louisiana special and different and unique from any other state. We don’t want to lose that.”
With this new program making its way into the Evangeline’s schools, the governor said, “We are one step closer to have at least one French Immersion program in each parish that forms the region of Acadiana.”
Along with Edwards, those who also spoke at the March 24th event included Superintendent of Schools Darwan Lazard, Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, La. Rep. Bernard LeBas, La. Senator Eric LaFleur, La. Rep. Mike Huval, and La. State Superintendent John White, all of which echoed the same excitement about this program as Edwards.
Vidrine, who Lazard called Ville Platte’s very own energizer bunny, stated, “This is just so wonderful because our sha babies are going to learn how to speak French!
“This will be the first French Immersion program in the parish and it is going to be great for preserving our heritage.”
There were several other public officials showing support for the new program including Evangeline Parish School Board Members Arthur Savoy, Wanda Skinner and Ellis Guillory, Clerk of Court Randy Deshotel, Judge Gary Ortego, Police Jury member Eric Soileau, Tax Assessor Dirk Deville and his Chief Deputy Tax Assessor Josh Fontenot, and District Attorney Trent Brignac.
During the event, VPE Principal Sally Morrow and ME Principal Troy Fontenot were suprised with a $10,000 check from members of the Acadiana Delegation. The check, which was presented to them by Rep. Huval, Rep. LeBas and Senator LaFleur, is to be used for the continuation and promotion of French Immersion.
With French Immersion, Edwards said, “We are reclaiming, preserving, maintaining and stregnthening the French language in Louisiana.”
Therefore, don’t be surprised if you soon start hearing children say, “Ici, on es fier parler francais (Here, we are proud to speak French).”
For information on how to sign up your child for French Immersion, contact the Evangeline Parish School Board office.