I would like to take this opportunity to thank our CHOICES volunteers who participated in our CHOICES program throughout the parish in late April.

The CHOICES program is a program where community volunteers come into the schools and spend two days with eight-grade students discussing choices that they will make and how these choices will affect their lives.

It is a wonderful thought-provoking experience for our students who benefit from hearing about the life experiences of our volunteers.

This is the second year of this program and it is coordinated by Heather Malone of Concordia Parish Economic Development and Cheryl Probst, Region 6’s College and Career Transitions Coordinator.

The program would not be possible without the work and support of these two ladies.

A big “thank you” goes out to both of them. I would also like to thank the following volunteers who went out to the classrooms and met with the students:

Aaron Kelly — Anytime Fitness

Ashley Powell — LSU AgCenter

Sam Jones — Jones Web site Services

Bridget Milliken — Whitaker Eye Center

Mark Miller — Tensas State Bank

Ricky Knapp — Olde River Cleaners

Uzella Frazier — Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office

Vernon Stevens — Riverland Medical Center

Bobby Sheppard — Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office

Ouida Pecanty — Delta Bank

Derrick Carson — Seventh Judicial public defender

Patricia Anderson — Concordia Bank & Trust Co.

Catherine Cartwright — Concordia Bank & Trust Co.

Jamie Burley — Vidalia Chamber of Commerce

Lillian King — Concordia Bank & Trust Co.

Pastor Simeon Green — Doty Road Church of God

Without their time and effort the program would not be possible.

These volunteers have truly demonstrated our school system’s motto that “Education is everybody’s business.”

Thank you all again and we look forward to next year’s program.

Paul Nelson

director of academic programs

Concordia Parish School Board