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School begins today in Vermilion Parish, and there are two Kaplan natives who cannot wait to start their new careers as educators.
Hali Weekly and Mia Bouillion are two rookie teachers in Vermilion Parish.
Kaplan High School has undoubtedly heard the name Mia Boullion before, in fact, several times.
Boullion is proud to announce that she will be teaching at her old stomping grounds, the very place she held dear to her heart for four years until she graduated in 2012.
Boullion will be teaching four classes for grades 9 through 12, Journey to Careers, Principals of Business, BCA (business computer applications), and will be a Virtual Advisor for Spanish.
After graduating she enrolled at UL and obtained her degree in General Studies, but during her last year at UL, it was becoming difficult to work and go to school, “Finding a job that is willing to work around your school schedule was so difficult, that’s when it clicked, and I made the decision to start subbing.”
During her opportunity to sub, it opened her eyes to what her future would hold for a potential career.
Boullion says that once she felt what it was like being in a classroom, there was no other place she wanted to be.
“I often ask myself, why I didn’t just do this from the beginning, I was so comfortable.”
To be a teacher at Kaplan High was just the icing on the cake for Boullion, she loved this school while being a student, and credits some of her teachers and her principal for the kind of teacher she aspires to be.
“It is very important to me that my students know what their potential is. I was very fortunate that my Principal noticed that in myself before I did, and told me so.”
Boullion says that she plans to form a relationship with each student because that is how they are going to relate to the teacher, hoping that this will get them comfortable enough to get them more involved. She also plans to establish a professional and a personal relationship with each student to ensure that they understand the information being taught while being respectful of others’ who may learn differently.
“Once KHS listed me as a permanent sub,” she says, “shortly after, I decided to apply for the Alternative Program at McNeese, which allows me to teach with a ‘form of certification’ it will take me a year to complete this program to get my official certification.”
Boullion says that she is ready for the challenge; even though she will be swamped while being a teacher and being in a program to get her certification. She will take night classes after her day teaching at the school and says that it is worth it, “I’m actually really okay with that.”
Another Kaplan native and a first-year teacher is Hali Weekly. She is excited about beginning this journey teaching ELA (writing and grammar) as well as Reading to Sixth and Seventh graders at St Peter and Paul Catholic School in Lafayette.
Weekly says that there were several things which inspired her to become a teacher. Growing up, she shares that she was always considered to be very ‘smart’ to teachers and says that she was just really prepared for school because of being in daycares which taught her so much.
“Going into middle school,” she says, “I realized that I really had to study and work for things and that was pretty shocking to me.”
Weekly says that this made her pay close attention to her teacher and the way they managed their teaching philosophies.
“It was easy to see a teacher who was ‘naturally smart’ and compare that to the teachers that had to work harder as I did.”
Weekly aspires to be the kind of teacher that actually reaches everyone in the classroom as well as being someone they are comfortable with and are able to discuss with her when they are struggling to understand.
“I want to be a mentor as Mrs. Laurie Broussard was to me. She had a special way of making you feel as if you really matter, and that’s who I want to be for my students.”
Having a support group as great as Weekly does, really helps when you want to give up on yourself and your dreams because it is not easy enough. Nothing is ever easy, and Weekly knows this first hand.
“I had given up and felt as if I wasn’t worthy, Courtney Broussard, one of my greatest friends, had become a huge inspiration to me and reminded me that I was worthy and that I could do this.”
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, enjoying home life with her daughter Caroline, who is 2 years old, and spending time with her family.
“I enjoy learning about everything, no matter the subject, and I hope to spread that to my students.

ABBEVILLE — A Home-going Celebration will be held for Mrs. Merlene H. Levine, 73, the former Merlene Harrison at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, August 11, 2018 at Faith Hope Christian Fellowship with Bishop B.K. Stevens, officiating.
She will await the resurrection in Saint Paul Cemetery in Abbeville, LA.
A gathering of family and friends will begin Saturday at the church 8:00 A.M. until time of service.
A native and resident of Abbeville, LA she passed at 7:45 A.M. Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at her residence in Abbeville, LA surrounded by her family. In addition, she accepted Christ as her Savior and connected to Faith Hope Christian Fellowship Church where she was one of the founding members of the church.
She leaves to cherish her memory, two daughters, Nita Maze of Abbeville, LA and Cynthia Adair (Charlie) of Lufkin, TX; three sisters, Shirley Levene (Lester Sr.), Victoria Levene (Alvin Sr.) of Abbeville, LA and Mercedes Levine of New Iberia, LA; five brothers, Shelward Harrison, Sr. (Annie), Alvin Harrison, Sr., Allen Harrison, Sr., Eldrige Harrison, Sr. (Catherine), and Jerry Harrison, Sr. all of Abbeville, LA; eight grandchildren, thirty one great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Levine; her parents, Phillip Harrison, Jr. and Ethel Levine Harrison; two brothers, Lutha Harrison and Calvin Harrison; one granddaughter, LaNita Maze; one great-grandson, Andrew Carmouche, III and one son-in-law, Charles Maze.
Active Pallbearers are Phillip Harrison, Lester Levene, Jr., Tommy Williams, Jr., Shelward Levene, Eldrige Levene, Jr. and Derek Levene, Sr.
Honorary Pallbearers are Shelward Harrison, Sr., Alvin Harrison, Sr., Allen Harrison, Sr., Eldrige Levene, Sr., Jerry Harrison, Sr., Lester Levene, Sr., Melvin Levine, Alvin Levene and Michael Levine. 
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.fletcherfuneralhomes.org
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Home 1116 Green Street-Abbeville, LA 70510.