My Story

April 15th, 2020,
“Governor John Bel Edwards Signs Order Closing Louisiana Schools for the Remainder of the Current School Year…” (Officer of the Governor, 2020).

While in college, I volunteered with an after-school tutoring program, New Hope Community Development of Acadiana. The program was aimed at assisting students to improve their foundational learning skills. I witnessed many students, who initially struggled with reading, begin reading several books a week. They became empowered by their ability to read better. New Hope’s transformational, successful program holds a special place in my heart.

After hearing the terrible news about schools being closed, I couldn’t help but remember the stories, outside of the books we read, that the children told me about their lives. Stories like one told to me by a 6-year-old how his mother would take his books away from him when she left the house so he could cook dinner and care for his younger siblings. The stories of the students who came to New Hope to escape bullying and violence in their neighborhoods. And the children who felt worthless because they couldn’t read like other kids and made bad grades but no one was there to help them. The respite, sanctuary, safe-place that New Hope had become wouldn’t be there for them anymore because of Covid.

Their hope was gone, quarantined in the places many of them longed to escape. My heart broke for them. I constantly wondered how I could help these children and their families. My brother, whose wife is a teacher, kept asking himself the same question. His wife and all of my family members working in education were distraught because kids in Louisiana would be out of school indefinitely. We knew we had to create something, a company, that focused on the students and their well-being but also acknowledged the need to support the well-being of parents, teachers, and schools. Ideas began to take shape as to how we could create an organization that put schools and communities in Louisiana first, above the bottom line. We researched the concept of community partnerships and discovered a way that we could make a difference for students.

Over the past year, I have seen the development and evolution of our idea, sparked by the proclamation made on April 15th, 2020. Our WIN-WIN-WIN Model represents our commitment to making tools and materials accessible to all students and educators to support classroom success. contributions to the school communities of Louisiana. Our WIN-WIN-WIN model is our reimagining of the School Community Partnership. Communities, families, teachers, and schools are the focus as we work for The Greater Good of Louisiana.