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VITA Recognition Banquet Honors Students and Tutors
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VITA
recently celebrated its annual Recognition
Banquet
at Vermilionville. Students and tutors were honored for their
contributions to the program. A fundraiser raffle was also held in
conjunction with the event. VITA Board Member Mary Neiheisel chaired
the raffle, which netted about $4,000 for the program. In addition,
VITA St. Landry Adult Education graduates were introduced by Judith
Goodstone who heads the program in Opelousas.
Honorees at the event included: Gene Cole, Donna Groth Delhomme Award;
Rebecca Dore, Don Littlefield Memorial Roy, The Martin Award; John
Allen and Roxanne
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Award;
Bryan Cahee, Think Like a Winner; Nora
Rodriguez, Francis Family ESL Award; Raymond Alex, James Jenkins,
Elidrus Mose, Jason Segura and Terry Stelly, Outstanding Students; Flo
Arnold, Elias Davila, Brenda Glover, John Richard, and Cathy Swords,
Outstanding Tutors.
A special thanks goes to the banquet testimonial speakers: Fernando
Perez, Shannon Bourda, and Dennis Sullivan. We are grateful to Jay
Caldwell who again provided the photography for the event.
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students were pleased to receive new books from the Family Literacy
Project sponsored by St. Barnabas Episcopal Church and VITA.
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St. Barnabas Episcopal Church and VITA Team Up for a Family
Literacy Project
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September is Literacy Month and
several
projects were planned to assist with family literacy in Acadiana.
Funds donated by St. Barnabas Episcopal Church were used to purchase
pre-school books for a Family Literacy Project. On September 14, all
Headstart students attending the Story Time sessions at the Chenier
Center Branch of the Lafayette Public Library chose a book to bring
home
In addition, St. Barnabas held a book drive to collect children's books
for University Medical Center, the Lafayette Parish Health Unit and the
Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic. VITA distributed the books to
the various sites for children visiting these centers.
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Congratulations to
the
VITA
Raffle Award Winners!
First Prize: Donette Thomas
Second Prize: Deborah Cole
Third Prize: Angela Fangue |
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VITA St. Landry Adult Education
Congratulates
Graduates
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Many graduates have earned their
Graduate
Equivalency Degrees from VITA St. Landry Adult Education. In April
2009, Logan Burch, Mary Ewing, and Patricia Murphy earned their
degrees. In May, Shannon Boudreaux, Alexander Handy and Kelli Rabalais
received their diplomas. Students graduating in June were Sharika
Pitre, Bryant Thibodeaux, Phaedra Simon, Birgit Murphy, Kiara Allen,
Kaleb Artigue, Shannon Bourda, and Willie Miniex. Graduates for
September were William Anderson, Ravin Richard, Megan Fontenot, Holly
Collins, and Trianda Walker. In October, students graduating were
Cesiley Moody, Jade Desormeaux, Ja'Mykle Bowie, Danyell Farley, and
Jordan Bennett. Graduates for November were Michael Monaghan, Emily
Joubert, Quentin LeBlanc, Raicalia Bob, Cody Taylor, Eve Marks,
Christopher Clennon, Lachelle Milton, and Amanda Bernard.
Staff members in the VITA St. Landry Adult Education program are Judith
Goodstone, Ph.D., Julia Joubert, Lora Watley, Stephanie Chavis, and
Antoinette Thomas.
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University of Louisiana at Lafayette students are assisting with
teaching and office duties at VITA this fall. The students are (from
left) Melanie Guines, Reed Preston, and Sara Robin. Melanie is a junior
majoring in broadcast journalism, Reed is graduating in chemical
engineering in December, and Sara is a sophomore studying psychology.
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Some New Classes Offered at VITA
Some New Classes
Offered at VITA
VITA is currently offering many group classes each week. Please
encourage your student to participate if he or she might be available
at the class times. The group classes include:
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Beginner Vocabulary and Grammar
Beginner Reading and Phonics
Intermediate Reading Comprehension
Advanced Grammar/Vocabulary
Advanced Writing
Advanced Vocabulary
Book Club
Conversation
Mathematics
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Mon./Wed. 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Mon./Wed. 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Tues. 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Tues. 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Tues. 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.
Wed. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Thurs. 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Fri. 10:00 - 12:00 noon
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Board
Member Mary Neiheisel has spearheaded VITA's fundraiser raffle for the
past two years. She has worked tirelessly for the program as a tutor
and board member throughout her eight-year association with the
program. |
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Many Thanks to Mary Neiheisel
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We want to thank VITA Board Member Mary
Neiheisel
for heading our fundraiser raffle for the past two years. Mary's
leadership and organization of the projects gave us invaluable
assistance in implementing the fundraiser.
Mary began as a VITA tutor in 2001 and joined the VITA Board in 2002.
In addition to her work with the program, she has been very involved in
community activities. She was president of the Pinhook Rotary Club,
president of Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, Chair of the
University Graduate Council, and is active with the American Heart
Association, Camp Bon Coeur, Junior Leadership Lafayette, Lafayette
Public Library Foundation, United Way, Woman's Foundation of Acadiana,
among other organizations. In 2007, VITA nominated Mary for the L'Oreal
Paris Women of Worth Award, a program which celebrates women who
volunteer in their communities.
At the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Mary is a nursing
professor and the Director of the Nurse Practitioner Track in the
Graduate Nursing Program. She is a registered nurse and an advanced
practice registered nurse in Louisiana and a registered nurse in Texas.
In addition, Mary is a University Distinguished Professor and has
served on numerous university committees.
Mary is originally from Boerne, Texas but has called Lafayette home for
many years. |
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New ESL Group Classes Held on Location
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Two new ESL (English as a Second Language)
classes were created recently and are presently held on location at
area sites.
Glouchester Manor hosts a group class of ESL students each week. VITA
Tutor Elias Davila instructs the class in English speaking skills and
reading. They are learning basic terms like the days of the week,
months of the year, and number and color words.
In addition, Tutor Derek Randall teaches an ESL group class at
Loadmaster Derrick and Equipment, Inc. in Broussard. The company~Rs
general manager, Jeremy Guillot, requested that VITA provide
instruction in English speaking skills to their Hispanic employees.
Most of the students are welders and pipe fitters. Derek said that they
are practicing basic life skill phrases and job-related vocabulary.
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Kathy DeGlandon Joins the VITA Lafayette
Staff
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Kathy DeGlandon recently transferred to the
Lafayette office from the staff of VITA St. Landry Adult Education.
Kathy is a native of Lafayette and has degrees from the University of
North Carolina in Charlotte and Loyola University. She has taught
middle and high school classes since 1993 and was also the Director of
Religious Education for St. Charles Borromeo in Grand Coteau.
Kathy is teaching mathematics classes at VITA in addition to her
student/tutor coordinator duties. |
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DeGlandon is the new addition to the VITA Lafayette staff.
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