It was a special day at LaSalle High School last Wednesday, December 3, as the top two administration leaders from the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) visited the campus as part of the school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter meeting.
Dr. Carrie Castille, ULM’s President and Dr. Michelle McEacharn, Prevost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, accepted an invitation to attend a special LaSalle High FFA Chapter event after meeting FFA President Lexi Jo Lasiter and her mother, Jessica, in Baton Rouge recently.
Jessica Lasiter, who serves as District 1 LaSalle Parish School Board member, had taken her senior daughter Lexi Jo to the state capital where she happenstance to meet the university president and discovered she had deep ties to FFA.
They later met by chance at a ballgame, and the invitation was extended to come to LaSalle High to see the award winning FFA chapter firsthand. To both Lasiters’ surprise, she accepted the invitation.
“FFA was a big part of my life growing up,” Dr. Castille told the students at an assembly held last Wednesday morning. “I had a show lamb, which I named, and I know you’re not supposed to do that.”
The assembly began with an official meeting of the LaSalle chapter, where President Lexi Jo Lasiter guided the chapter through the official protocol, including having each officer recite their duties.
Nataleigh Nagler then presented the FFA Creed in a stunning performance, at which time Lasiter introduced and welcome the invited guests to the stage.
Castille spoke at length to the students, describing her life and how she ended up becoming ULM’s first female president.
“I was once sitting out there just like you,” she said. “I never would have imagined I would one day be president of a university. I was the first one in my family to graduate college, slept on flour sacks and worked all my life – even while in high school. But I just kept working and opportunities came.”
McEacharn also spoke of being a “firstgen” (first in family to graduate college) and encouraged the students to take advantages of everything in front of them to achieve what they think is impossible at the moment.
While they both offered their university as a viable option for higher education, they were more interested in offering the students hope for a better future.
Castille reminded them that a quality education is very important and every little detail matters as it relates to life.
They were also highly impressed with the LaSalle High School FFA Chapter, and their advisor, Chris Bennett. Bennett has transformed the chapter since arriving at LHS many years ago and now it is one of the most respected and winning chapters in the state.
The administrators were also pleased to learn from Principal Heath Denison of LHS’s recent School Performance Score and commended the students for their achievements.
Both cited the many advantages of being at a small high school, from the friendships to the academic advantages, and encouraged them to use the skills they are learning to achieve even greater things.
Also present from ULM was the Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions Sami Owens, who offered students guidance in applying at ULM.
For more information about ULM, visit www.ulm.edu.
