Around the Westside for Nov. 5, 2008

• By KORAN ADDO
• Advocate Westside bureau
• Published: Nov 5, 2008 - Page: 3B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The West Baton Rouge Parish school system and parish municipalities are actively seeking volunteers as part of their recently launched Project SOAR Mentoring Program.

The new initiative aims to address social, academic and behavioral challenges at public schools as well as to curb suspension and expulsion rates.

The first stages will focus on connecting fourth- through eighth-grade students at Cohn Elementary and Port Allen Middle schools with adult volunteers trained to assist the students in becoming more confident through one-on-one mentoring sessions.

The hour-long sessions will take place at each school. The program also will offer students trips to the zoo, museums and other activities.

Those interested in serving as mentors in the program may contact Lynell Thomas at (225) 571-4611 or lynelle@newbeginningswbr .com. Visit http://www.newbeginningswbr.org for information.

Young cadets graduate
The Youth Challenge Program at the Gillis W. Long Center in Carville graduated 215 cadets in September.

Sissy Pace of the Youth Challenge Program said cadets worked hard this year significantly improving their grades from previous years. In addition, cadets worked a total of 20,602 community service hours, an average of 90 hours per student.

About 55 graduates also applied for and are participating in the Job Challenge Program to learn new job skills. Congratulations to all 215.

Veterans’ letters sought
The Iberville Parish Veterans’ Memorial is almost complete, but Grace and Hebert Architects, the firm that designed the memorial, needs parish residents’ help in getting together the final touches.

Ellie Hebert, a spokeswoman for the memorial, is asking that the public submit letters armed forces members on active duty sent home to their friends and relatives.

Hebert said the letters can be from any war and should best represent the sacrifices of servicemen and servicewomen in those conflicts.

So far, the memorial has received a half-dozen letters that Hebert describes as “heart-wrenching, showing the concern our service personnel had for those they left behind and the longing they had to come home.”

Hebert said more letters are needed. The firm will review letters submitted, and of those accepted, Hebert said, portions would be etched in bronze and made a permanent part of the memorial.