Christmas in the Villageset
Denham Springs Christmas in the Village schedule kicks off at 6p.m. Friday with the Lighting of Old CityHall and merchantsopenhouse from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Saturday
The popular Chef’s Evening and Wine Tasting is at 7p.m Dec. 6. The Kiwanis Lighting of the Christmas Tree is at 6p.m. Dec. 12 and the Kiwanis Christmas Parade is at 2p.m on Dec. 14.
The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra will play in thehistoric district at 6p.m.Dec.19 and aChristmas Alive show is at 6p.m. Dec. 22. For acomplete schedule, visitwww cityofdensprings.com or www denhamspringsantiquedistrict com.
Crusadecollectingdonations
Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced the dates for Sheriff Jason Ard’sChristmas Crusade. Deputies are collecting donations across the parish and families in need of assistance with Christmas giftscan apply beginning Dec. 2. Toys will be delivered Dec. 20.
ROUNDUP
Time to appreciate hard work of area athletes
With the Thanksgiving holiday already here and Christmas just around the corner,it’s agood time to appreciatethe work that Livingston Parish athletes put into their chosen sports. Not that the holiday season means they will take abreak. At Walker High, the Wildcats are trying to extend theirfootball season into December for the second consecutive year Practically everywhereelse, the area’smost prolific sport, basketball, is ready to bloom with practices, tournaments, and individual games taking place during the holiday season. There are also other
Volunteer judges for the 2024 LPPS ProStartCulinaryCook-off mark their scores for the variousdishes servedbythe competingculinarystudents. Theyare, from left, CoreyBerner, vicepresident ofOperations for Gold Star FoodsCentral Region; Allen Cole, aK-12specialist for Acxion; and Spencer Harris, supervisorofLPPSChild Welfare and Attendance; LPPS Career and Technical Education Coordinator Staci Polozola; and Chancy Vaughn, LPPS child nutrition program coordinator
School culinaryteams competeincook-off
Winning team hasrecipe on Curbside Café menu
Community news report
Apork taquitos recipe prepared by the Live OakHigh culinary team won over the judgesina Livingston Parish public schools cooking contest.
Thirty-twoculinary students representing five high schools in Livingston Parish squared offina best-dish competition for thechancetohave their food item selected to be onthe district’sCurbside Café menu.
Thoseschools competing in the ProStart Culinary Cook-Off included two teams from Denham Springs High, French Settlement High and Springfield High School, and one team each from Live OakHigh andWalker High. The competition was Nov.13atthe district’sProfessional Development Center in Satsumaand wassponsored by thedistrict’s
Child Nutrition Department. Each recipe in the competition featured Brookwood Farm’s pork carnitas. Agroup of volunteer judgeswereassigned with thetaskoftaste-testingeachdishand scoring the dishes on themerits of taste, presentation and student acceptability. TheLiveOak High team’sculinary program received a$500 gift cardtoWebstaurant to purchase smallwares fortheir school’sProStart kitchen, andeach student on theteam received a$25 Amazon gift card
The winning students areAndrewStansbury,Addison Zaunbrecher,Bella Culmone and Jacob Cowart. French Settlement High School earned second place with its carnitas nachos recipe.The school’sculinary program received aportable propane stove, astainless-steel measuringset,and aThermoWorksthermometer, whichare valued at $200.Each
Community news report
LivingstonParish Public Schoolshas announced its Principal of the Year winners forthe 2024-25 school year
Honorees are French Settlement High School PrincipalJohn Chewning, LPPS High School Principal of the Year; Denham Springs Junior High Principal Justin Wax, LPPS Middle School Principal of the Year; and French Settlement Elementary Principal JoshMartin, LPPS Elementary Principal of the Year
The three areselectedbased on theirsuccess withstudents and their work to support teachers, according to anews release. Every year,one principal at each level— elementary,middle/juniorhigh, andhigh school —are selected as district-level winners andtheymoveontocompete in the state competition.
TheLouisiana Department of Education will select atop principal in each level, and an overall outstanding principal during a specialceremonyfollowing this school year
“Weare very proud to present these three principals as this year’stop honorees. They exemplifya commitment to excellence that we expect among our school system leadership,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said. Chewning hasservedasprincipalofFrench Settlement High School since 2020, where he has worked to create apositive,inclusive environment for studentsand staff, according to the release. Student scores, including ACT scores, have grownathis campus every year forthe past four years, andFSHS consistentlyranks at the top of the parish’sgraduation index.
Under his leadership, the school has added a medicalnursing lab andcertification program, HVAC certification, and sports production and news program. He also has revamped the school’s ProStart culinary program and gained recognition
Robots,rockets,lizards draw crowds at STEM Expo
BY VIC COUVILLION
Contributing writer
Robots, computers, rockets, bubbles, snakes, lizards, Legos, electricity,evenLIGO —somehow-related experiences were on display Nov.16for teens and youth of the community at the annual STEM Expohosted by the Tangipahoa Parish Library System at its Hammond Branch
Theexpodrewlarge crowds of children and teens, accompanied by their parents and other family members, to an hourslongexperience with the many and varied subjects that make up the STEM acronym:science, technology,engineering and mathematics. STEM enthusiasts representing anumberofdisciplines manned tables where the visitorswere invited to enjoy interactiveactivities.
Barry Bradford, executivedi-
rector of the Tangipahoa Parish LibrarySystem, said theexpo, held everyyear, is thesystem’s contribution to thepromotion of an interest in the sciences.
“Through ourannualSTEM Expo,weinvite young people to getengagedinthe sciences and learnsome new things while also hopefully being encouraged to one day consider acareer in the sciences,” Bradford said.
Bradfordsaid the expo is just one more way that the library system seeks to engage the public in positiveexperiences.“Our staff really enjoys eventssuch as this. We are always trying to makethe library as relevant to the public as we can and offering the STEM experience is avery popular reason for our patrons to come to the library.”
PHOTO BY VIC COUVILLION
Hammond High Magnet School students, from left, Terlynn Robson, Sage Gautier and Julia Bellina are involved in the school’saward-winning Torbotics Team.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Martin Chewning
SALZER
Continued from page1G
lesser-known sports with athletes working just as hard. One such sport isOlympic weightlifting, which is known for its two signature lifts —the clean andjerk andthe snatch. Denham Springs’ Cameron “CoCo” Comeaux, aseventh grader at JubanParc Junior High who won three gold medalsin September at the USA WeightliftingNationals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,hasn’t slowed down.
Although he competed inthe 44-kilogram, under-13 division, Comeauxturned 13last week and would likely qualify for ahigherweight class if the competition was held this week. One thing that hasn’t changed is the frequency and intensity of the training hours he puts in.
“I was nervous at my first nationals, but it got better after that,” Comeaux said last week. “It was fun (winninggold). IknewI was going to win. Ijust hadconfidence.”
Comeaux trains as partofthe Bujanda Strong Weightlifting team and currently weighs 103 pounds. He has top liftsof100
4160 or visit www.mylpl. info for more details on any event.
Applications, accepted
Dec. 2-6 and Dec. 9-13, can be dropped off at 29225 Woodside Drive, Walker Christmasparadedates
Towns throughout Livingston Parish are planning Christmas parades on land and water.Here’sa list of parades:
n Springfield Christmas Parade: Dec. 2
n Diversion Christmas Boat Parade: Dec. 7
n Albany Christmas Parade: Dec. 7
n Denham Springs Kiwanis Christmas Parade: Dec. 14
n Livingston ChristmasParade: Dec. 14.
At thelibrary Main Branch in Livingston
Contact the Main Branch in Livingston at (225) 686-
Dec. 5, 5:30 p.m., Craft & Cinema: Book PageChristmas Trees (ages 18+):Get into theholiday spirit with afestivemovie nightand creative crafting. Watch aChristmas moviewhile transforming book pages intoupcycled Christmas trees. Registration is required.
Denham Springs-Walker Call theDenham SpringsWalker Branch at (225) 686-4140.
Dec. 7, 1p.m., Afternoon Board Games (ages 18+): Board gaming is exploding as ahobby.Try your hand at the library’scollection of board games. Space is available for tabletop roleplaying.
TheMerriestMile Tickets are on sale for theMerriest Mile drive-thru Christmas light show,set
THELIVINGSTON-TANGIPAHOA
THE LIVINGSTON-TANGIPAHOAADVOCATE
through Dec. 31 at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds, 19869 Fairgrounds Road. Admission for asingle vehicle with up to 8people is $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends. For tickets, visit themerriestmile.ticketspice.com/
pounds in thesnatch, 132 poundsinthe clean and jerk, and his rise to national
the-merriest-mile Farmersmarket
The Four Seasons Farmers Market is open from 8a.m. to noon every Saturday at the city parking lot at Hummel Street and Railroad Avenue. Fresh
prominence has been swift according to coach Will Bujanda. Comeaux began lifting in 2020 and competed in his first national competition the next year.Heplaced second two consecutive years prior to his wininSeptember In all, the Bujanda team is home fora handful of area lifters including sisters Emma and Emily Terito, Caden Brownell and Nathan Martin. The youngest of the bunch is 7-year-old Emma Terito while Martin, 16, is the oldest.
Competing at the highest level is the goal for all.
“Right now,mydream is to go to college and (weight lift) competitively,” said Martin, ahome-schooled student from French Settlement who placed third in his weight class at nationals. “One day Iwant to go to the Olympics.”
Until then, here’satip of the cap to Martin and all of the athletes who continue to work toward their goals.
Charles Salzercovers Livingston sports for the Livingston-Tangipahoa Advocate. To reach Salzer, email livingston@ theadvocate.com.
vegetables, fruits and handmade items are on sale from vendors.
CelebrationinLivingston
The town of Livingston is celebrating theholiday season at 5p.m.Dec. 1with its Christmas Tree Lightingceremony in Circle Drive Park, 20575 Drive, Livingston. Sendnewsand events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes to livingston@ theadvocate.com by 4p.m Friday or call (225) 3880731.
10291Hwy.190,Walker, LA 70785orP.O.Box 309, Walker,LA70785 (225)388-0215
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Leila Pitchford livingston@theadvocate.com (225)388-0731
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Nathan Martin
PROVIDED PHOTOS
Cameron Comeaux
The LiveOak HighSchool culinaryteam wona$500 gift card and individual prizesfor receiving firstplace in the2024 LPPS ProStartCulinaryCook-off for its porktaquitosrecipe. Attending aprizepresentation, from left,are Melissa Campbell, management analyst for USDAFood and NutritionService, Southwest Regional Office; AngellBeswetherick, LOHSculinary instructor;culinarystudentsAndrew Stansbury, AddisonZaunbrecher,Bella Culmone and JacobCowart; Sommer Purvis, LPPS supervisor of ChildNutritionPrograms; Misty Woods, directorofSchool Food Service, NutritionSupport for the LouisianaDepartment of Education; and DavidRatner,assistant administrator of Food Distribution for theLouisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
assistant superintendent forthe Louisiana Department of Education’sOffice of School System Relations;Jennifer Tuttleton, deputy assistant superintendent for the Louisiana DepartmentofEducation’s OfficeofSchool System Relations; and French Settlement High Principal John Chewning receiveservings of tamale pie prepared by students at Denham Springs High School.
COOK-OFF
Continued from page1G
student on the teamreceived a$15 Chick-fil-A gift card. The winningstudents are Miranda Rose,Rylie Trabeaux, Lacey Salikand Micheal Bruno.
Denham Springs High tamale pie recipe earned third place. The school’sculinary program received acutting board and stainless-steel measuring set, which are valued at $100. Each student on the team received a$15 Chick-fil-A gift card. The winning students are Rayvious Williams, Arianna Manuel, Brooklyn Moore and Dania Merida.
Sommer Purvis, supervisorofChild Nutrition Programs, said the participating culinary students are enrolled in the district’sProStart curriculum, which is arestaurant
PRINCIPALS
Continued from page1G
for expanding computer science enrollment for girls.
“I believe that at the heart of student success is the belief thata positiveschool environment, built on strong relationships and asense of community,iskey.When students feel connected and invested, their attitude becomes the driving force behind their achievement. I firmly believe that your attitude truly determines your altitude,” Chewning said He wasrecentlynamed the 2024 FavoriteHigh School Principal by Baton Rouge Parents Magazine,an honor reflecting his strong connection to the school community.Inaddition to his role at FSHS, Chewning serves as vice president of the Livingston Parish PrincipalsAssociation and is a member of the Louisiana High School AthleticAssociation Executive Committee, where he advocates for the success of both students and student-athletes across the state.
Waxisinhis fourth year as principal of Denham Springs Junior High. Under his leadership, the campus has expanded its high-school level STEM classes and created an Aquaponics Lab, and his school has becomea 1-to1technology school, where every student is provided with alaptop. Waxhas overseen several safety initiatives as well, including the installation of an app-controlled access system, air quality monitors/ vape detectors on campus. He maintains astrong partnership with Mighty
industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. The winning recipe will be afeatured food item on the district’s Curbside Café, acustomized mobile kitchen that visits middle and high schools throughout the district on aregular schedule, offering lunchoptions in addition to what is served in the schools’cafeterias.Itcombines new menu ideas from ProStart students, along with fresh ingredientsgrown and harvested by students in the district, when available.
“These students aregaining valuable career-building skills through our school’s ProStart programs and through competitions like this one. The Curbside Café gives us an opportunity to showcase their work, and for them to gain practical experience in developing recipes, andmanaging supplies and timelines,” Purvis said.
Moms, acommunity-based provider of free meals for needy families, and he has piloted feewaiverprograms for students in poverty. Wax also serves as vice president of the Livingston Parish Principals Association
“Myapproach to leadership is based in treating every student like they are my own, educating through theeyes of caring parent to love them, and giving them #ThreeYearsOfAwesome,” Waxsaid, noting that his campushouses three grades —sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Martin has served as principal of French Settlement Elementary since 2020, wherehehas focused his effortsonbuildinga supportive school culture that empowers both students and teachers,according to therelease. He overhauled the schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventionsand Supports plan by shifting to afocus of positiverewardsthat reinforce and celebratesbehaviors that contribute to arespectful and inclusive school environment
“It is my belief thatstudents flourish in environments where they feel valued and recognized. A school culture that emphasizes positive reinforcement not only encourages good behavior but also builds self-confidence, especially forstudentswho mayneed extra support,” Martin said. At the same time, Martin has addressed the literacy needs of students by incorporating innovativeinstructionalapproaches,and he has worked to introduce new teaching standards early in the processtocreate anenvironment forgreatersuccess.
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PROVIDED PHOTOS
The Denham Springs High School CulinaryTeam wonthird placeinthe 2024 LPPS ProStartCulinaryCook-off for its tamale pie recipe. The student members include, from left, Rayvious Williams, Arianna Manuel,Brooklyn Moore and Dania Merida.
Trey Folse, from left,
Clare Loughran, youth services coordinator for the library system,said of businesses,educational institutionsand others interested in STEM fields were invited to the expo and “the response has been just great.
“Our library is filled with many interesting and educational opportunities for our patrons to enjoy,”she said. “Many of our young visitors are experiencing things that they have rarely had the opportunity to experience.”
Perhaps appropriately, the first encounter the visitor could enjoy “blasting way at the expo” was at a booth where paper rockets that really fly could be made. Volunteers Hannah Durbin, GeorgiaHusser, Anna Loman and Julia Rossano showed youth how to assemble the simple rockets. Once built, the rockets were taken outside where they were launched using air pressure. Of special interestwere robots made by Hammond Magnet High School’sawardwinning robotics team.
Jean Williams, one of the teachers involvedwith the robotics program, said the Torbotics Team counts 75 members. “These students are very much dedicated to learningall about robotics and the role that robots play in today’ssociety.They dedicate their time, almost alwaysafter school, building these robots. We have won awards in the past and we are now preparing to gotointernational competition once again.” She said that some graduates of the program have found meaningful employment later andthatone former studentisnow employed by NASA Twobooths featuring livesnakes, turtles and lizards and other creatures also drew constant attention. Faith Rose,representing Nature on theGo, invitedchildren to hold afairlylargelizardthatisnative to South America. Rose said thatsuch interactionswith youngstersteaches them about the animals and illustrates thatone should notbeafraid of many of nature’screatures.
Through Nature on the Go, aSlidell firm,Roseoffers demonstrations at schoolsand STEM events on that are designed to teach children about animals frommanylands.
Staff from LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory), the highly technical center located in Livingston Parish, sought to explain what is goingonatthe experimental center,whichisone of only two such observatories in the nation. TurtleCove, Southeastern Louisiana University’s experiment stationlocated on Pass Manchac,also provided information about howthe staffatthe center areseeking ways topreserve wetlands.
Emphasizingthe point that recyclingisanimportant way to helpmakethe planet a better placefor all citizenswere members of Keep Hammond Beautiful Whitney Statham and Gina Anthon, from left. Learning alesson on the necessity for recyclingwere Destinee and Dean Wingrove,atright. The encounter was partofthe STEM Expo heldatthe Hammond Branch of the Tangipahoa Parish LibrarySystem on Nov. 16.
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Our tomorrowdepends on whatwedotoday. Together,weare powering progress fora brighterfuture. Louisiana is where we live and we’reproud to call it home.
An exotic lizard that callsSouth America home drew the attention of Tinley Vititow, left,and Tanee Janus at an exhibit manned by FaithRose, right, at the STEM Expoheldat the Hammond Branch of the Tangipahoa Parish Library System.
PHOTOSBYVIC COUVILLION
Arobot that candonumerous tasks captivated Valentine, Eleanor and Stephen LeSaicherre, from left,who were visitingthe STEM Expo held at the Hammond Branch of the Tangipahoa ParishLibrarySystem on Nov. 16.The robot wasbuilt by members of the Torbotics Team at HammondHigh Magnet School.
Charlie and Christian White learnthat blowing bubbles can not onlybefun but that there is asciencebehind even such simple fun things. Directing the funwas Julie Vicknair,a staff member of the Tangipahoa Parish LibrarySystem, hosts of the STEM Expo heldatthe system’s Hammond Branch on Saturday,Nov.16.
HowWe Work
TheGreater BatonRouge Food Bank is anon-profit organization focusedonfeeding those whoare food insecureinour community. We collect, sort, packand distributefoodtofriends and neighbors in needthrough 125+memberagencyfood pantries
Last year alone,the Greater BatonRouge Food Bank distributed 11.1 million meals to those in need, serving over 350,000 clientsacross our 11-parish servicearea. While thatmay sound like alot of meals,the 2023 Meal Gapresearch from Feeding America shows thatLouisiana is unfortunately still #1 in the countryinboth child and senior hunger.
HowYou CanHelp
As partofGiving Tuesday, or eding Tuesdayaswelike to call ,Home Bank willbegenerously oviding amatch for financial donations made on Tuesday, cember3rd –allowing youto double your donation thatday
Visit us online at brfoodbank.org/RedStickRally or scan the QR code to donate today.
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Gratitude
It turns what we have intoenough.
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This Thanksgiving we are especially grateful for our volunteers.
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Located in the 70805zip code, one of the nation’smost impoverished areas,HOPE has served the Greater Baton Rougecommunity for over twodecades.We’re dedicated to building athriving, resilient community through essential resources and workforce development. At the heartofour efforts,HOPE creates sustainable,
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Give HOPE today forabrighter tomorrow— your supportchanges lives! Thank you.
