New Generation students have ideas to help fellow teens

They want to start programs to help young people -- support programs, education programs, economic programs and something-to-do programs. They want to upgrade a ball field. And they want to give Franklin people a new way to roll.

They were the eight teams representing St. Mary Parish high schools that participated in the Rotary Club of Morgan City’s New Generation event. Thursday was the night to present their ideas for civic improvements to the public at Morgan City High.

The ideas generated by New Generation aren’t just kid stuff. Over the last 28 years, many of those ideas have become reality: a dog park, recycling receptacles, park improvements and more.

And more may be coming. Local officials at Thursday’s presentation, including Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna and Parish Councilman Rodney Olander of Franklin, are on board with some of the projects developed by the students.

But the work must continue after the presentations, said the Rotary’s Scott Melancon.

“You’ve got to present your ideas and put them in front of the right people …,” Melancon said. “They’re not going to [move ahead] if you leave them in a file at home.”
Franklin Senior High

The team wanted to put together support groups for high school and junior high students who face obstacles – serious obstacles – in their lives.

Those obstacles may include depression, anxiety, incarcerated parents, violent crime and sexual abuse.

The group proposes once-a-month meetings for 11- to 13-year-olds and 14- to 18-year-olds, with the help of a therapist and adult volunteers. The meetings would give students a chance to talk about their problems, express their feelings and develop.

The program can help teens learn “how to live, not just survive,” said team member Quinten Jones Jr.

Hanson Memorial

The Hanson team proposed a bike-sharing plan for Franklin.

Five sites, called docking stations, would be set up around the city, each with bicycles available for rent for 30- and 45-minute trips. Rentals would be available for an unlimited number of 30- or 45-minute trips on a daily ($4.95), monthly ($14.95) or yearly ($155) basis.

Team member Nathan Adams said the service could help people who can’t afford a car. And, Adams said, bikes are good for promoting fitness and can be part of Franklin’s efforts to promote tourism.

Statistics from places where bike sharing has been tried, mostly big cities, show that businesses near docking stations see an uptick in sales, Adams said.

The price to get the project running is about $217,000.

Morgan City High

The Tiger team wants to build on the school’s success with education in allied health professions.

Health care is a growing industry, said team member Gracie Gagliano, but students usually can’t obtain industry certification until they’re 18.

The MCHS team wants to make sure students are prepared by strengthening ties to the region's health care facilities. They want people interested in health care careers to know their options.

They'll do that with career fairs, internships, facility tours and, possibly, private sponsorships.

Centerville

The Centerville team has big plans for the ball diamond at the community's park. Members want to improve the field for use by the junior high baseball and softball teams.

They’re hoping to find money to erect foul poles in left and right field, build dugouts for the home and visiting teams, extend the fence around the outfield and raise it to 8 feet for Centerville sluggers to knock homes over.

They also hope to get a portable pitching mound that can be removed for softball.

Olander said he's been in contact with the local recreation district, and board members are willing to work with the students.

Berwick

Berwick's team has a plan called "Crossing Through Culture."

To complement recent developments downtown, including the riverfront mural and the food truck court, the students want to decorate crosswalks with art. They've already solicited some student artwork that can be transferred to the street.

The crosswalks would beautify the area and enhance tourism appeal, they said.

The snag is the cost of the paint, about $20 a quart. They'll be looking for deals on "oopsie paint" that customers ordered before changing their minds.

The team also hopes to get sponsorships, possibly from local civic groups.

Patterson
The PHS team wants St. Mary to be recognized as one of a growing number of Work Ready Communities.

That goal requires interaction between the parish government and potential employers, real and existing. The government can point to a pool of work-ready employees who have been tested on basic work-related skills like applied math under the ACT WorkKeys program and have been certified.

Armed with information about the labor pool, government officials would be able to make their case for businesses seeking to relocate or expand.
In its promotional material, the ACT Work Ready Communities program lists what it calls the top five deal killers in economic development: lack of good government leadership, lack of sites, lack of infrastructure, breach of confidentiality and, in big orange type, lack of skilled workers.

Twenty-eight of Louisiana's 64 parishes participate, the students said, and more than 240,000 potential employees are certified.

Central Catholic

Go anywhere in the country, and you can hear the same complaint: There's nothing for young people to do.

Central Catholic's answer is to use the M.D. Shannon Elementary building as a home for the Morgan City Youth Center.

The center could offer a place to play basketball, get some tutoring, take classes in art or martial arts, said team member Lucy Kincade.

The center could also be a source of summer jobs for teens and adults. And that may help keep young people from moving away, Kincade said.

“When our generation grows up, they’ll know their kids will have a safe place to have fun,” she said.

M.D. Shannon, the historic building that once housed Morgan City High, was purchased by the Morgan City government last year.

West St. Mary

Like their fellow students at Franklin Senior High, the West St. Mary team wants to do something to help cope with a world afflicted by gun violence, gang violence, drugs and stress affecting mental health.

Their solution is a realignment of health education that they call "Real World 101."

An earlier program in use at the school called Edgenuity lacked interactivity and was plagued by internet connection problems, the students said.

They want Real World 101 to give students a way to express their feelings, hear testimonials and learn coping skills -- maybe yoga or meditation.

They want the curriculum to focus on real problems, help students deal with their emotions, reduce bullying and provide access to resources.