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An educated population has a positive ripple effect throughout every aspect of a community.
Organizations are coming together to make sure that the people of Vermilion have quality employment and other opportunities by influencing an increase in educational attainment and continuing education for workers.
One Acadiana, the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance (VEDA), and the Vermilion Parish School System are among the partners in the 55 by 25 initiative. The goal is to increase the proportion of working-age adults in Acadiana with postsecondary degrees, certificates, or other high-value credentials to 55 percent by 2025. That will be accomplished by focusing on four areas of the initiative, kindergarten readiness, 3rd-grade reading, high school to college transition and credential completion.
The initiative officially launched during an event Wednesday morning at Abbeville High School. Representatives of the partners, as well as those from higher education, took part in the launch.
“A well-educated, prepared workforce injects money into communities, helps attract the companies we are best suited for,” VEDA Executive Director Anne Falgout said, “and helps us become competitive with those communities were compared to. This initiative puts our priorities to ensure we’re making positive improvements where the workforce is concerned.”
Dr. Jaimie Hebert, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and an Abbeville High School graduate, spoke during Wednesday’s launch. He said he is pleased for UL Lafayette, and higher ed as a whole, to play a role in 55 by 25. Hebert said this effort is vital to him personally, too.
“It is such an honor to be here to be a part of this,” Hebert said while standing on the stage in the auditorium of his former school. “It is extremely important that we all gain an understanding of just how significant credentials beyond post-secondary are, more than ever before in the history of our country.”
As one of the highest ranked school districts in the state, Vermilion Parish provides an excellent foundation for 55 by 25.
“As a parent of two children in the Vermilion Parish School System,” Falgout said, “I can attest to the things that we are doing right.”
Vermilion Parish Superintendent Jerome Puyau touted teamwork from everyone involved in the school system as a key to what makes things work.
“We made a commitment years ago to be better, and now we are No. 4 in the state,” Puyau said. “We are one of the top districts in every area that they rate us on. I could go on and on about how well our teachers, students, and leaders do, day in and day out.”
Puyau also spoke on the importance of improving, offering for students focusing on careers, such as welding and certified medical assistant. The group toured the parish’s career campus at Abbeville on Wednesday.
“We challenged ourselves to change what our kids are receiving,” Puyau said, “so that it matches up with what businesses want. I am happy to say that 100 percent of our (welding) students that graduate with level two credential, have a job within in a couple of weeks of graduating. The discussion of what we are offering continues to change as we create new partnerships.
“Vermilion Parish schools are continuing to open those doors to help students make the best decisions to take the right path.”
According to Hebert, that path equals success for Vermilion Parish students who have enrolled at UL Lafayette. Hebert said the average of students who graduate within six years is 47 percent. For UL Lafayette students from Vermilion Parish...“That number is 80 percent,” Hebert said. “That’s the type of kids we have from here going to UL Lafayette.”
While the students are working hard to graduate, Hebert said it is vital that schools like UL Lafayette continually evaluate what students are offered.
“We have to adjust to changes in the workforce and the changes in society,” Hebert said, “so that when our students graduate, their credential is relevant. It needs to be relevant immediately so that they can have an impact.”
Hebert cited a statistic that shows how quickly things will change for graduates.
“For freshmen who are entering college today,” Hebert said, “50 percent of those freshmen in college who graduates will end up working in careers that don’t exist the day they enroll in college. Think about what we have to do in preparing that student for the workforce.
“We have to be quick and responsive when it comes to higher education.”
The response to help make 55 By 25 a success will come from all areas of the community. Partners in attendance on Wednesday signed a banner to pledge their support. Anyone who wants to contribute to one of the teams in the four areas of the initiative can fill out a form at 55by25Acadiana.org. More information about the initiative is available through that website.
“Armed with a vision, goal, and common purpose,” Falgout said, “I’m confident that our team from around Acadiana can impact an increase in educational attainment and our attractiveness to local and outside investment. We have a plan and an approach to implement it.”

Kaplan High School graduate Colt Hardee received LSU’s Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year award at the annual Love Purple Live Gold Awards Banquet this month.
Hardee, 20, is an LSU sophomore who is majoring in Agribusiness. He is also president of The Agribusiness Club. The Club was also named LSU’s Student Organization of the Year.
“I am very thankful and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Hardee. “I told my folks not to come to the banquet because I thought my chances of winning were very slim and they would probably end up wasting gas to see me lose. However, sure enough, the Cajun from Kaplan ended up winning.”
Hardee, who has a 4.0 grade point average at LSU, said he owedeverything to God, his family, teachers, high school coaches, and the
Kaplan community for instilling life lessons and raising him into the leader he is today.
The undergraduate student leader award is presented to a sophomore or junior who has made a significant contribution to the quality of life at LSU. The student selected for this award will have demonstrated his or her commitment to LSU by making a significant improvement in one or more areas of campus life such as academics, athletics, Greek Life, student governance, student involvement, wellness, service or recreational sports.
Hardee’s love for Cajun Culture led him to create a Cajun Club. He has also made a positive influence on LSU by bringing Cajun music to campus through his accordion playing and singing.
He said he started the Cajun Club because of the lack of Cajun Culture and good Cajun food and music at LSU.
“I wanted this organization to serve as a way to teach people the traditions, lifestlyles and history of the Cajun Culture.”
When he graduates in two years, he will return to LSU to get his master’s degree and then has plans to work in the agriculture business.
Winning the Undergraduate Student Leader award is also a plus to put on his resumé.
“This is a tremendous honor, and it is only the beginning of a glorified life that God has planned for me,” he added. “It will show employers that I am capable of being a leader in their company and it
will hopefully give me a competitive edge.”

ERATH — A gathering of family and friends will be held on Monday, April 29. 2019 for Tyson Sanders Huval, 36, who passed away on April 22, 2019 at St Francis Medical Center in Monroe, LA. The family will receive guests at Martin & Castille’s DOWNTOWN location from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM with a recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 PM led by Father Wayne Duet.
Tyson is survived by his parents, Isaac Huval, Jr. of Cecilia, and Melanie Huval and Marcus Hebert of Erath; his sister, Heidi Huval Bellaire and her husband Bart, of Abbeville; Step-sister Nickie Toups and her husband John, of Erath, and step-brother Matt Hebert and his wife Ellen, of Abbeville. Tyson was known as “Nonky” to his nieces and nephews: Sydney, Lawson, Thomas, Caroline, Alec, Jack, Julia, Luke and Anna Claire. He is also survived by his grandparents, Isaac “Bin” Huval, Sr. of Cecilia and Florine Thibodeaux of Lafayette; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Clorine “Pue”Huval, Herman Thibodeaux, Sr., Hazel Hebert and Walter Thibodeaux.
The family would like to extend special thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at St Francis Medical Center.
View the obituary and sign the guestbook online at www.mourning.com
Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311.

MAURICE — Funeral Services will be held at 11:30 AM on Saturday, April 27, 2019 in Delhomme Funeral Home of Maurice for Linda Faye Priest, 67, who passed away in her home on April 21, 2019.
She is survived by her husband, Mike Priest; son, Brandon Hebert and his wife, Carmen; sisters, Annette and Pappy, Sharon, and Gwen and her brother, Grant and his wife, Sue.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Stella Fabacher.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Maurice on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 10:00 AM until time of service.
Personal condolences may be sent to the family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 200 Chief H. Fred Road, Maurice, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.