Pictured is Lincoln Prep coach Antonio Hudson talking to his team late in the second overtime of Friday’s game against Ringgold(Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
GRAMBLING — Forget about regulation play, it was all about overtime as the Lincoln Prep Panthers played host to Ringgold Friday night in a District 1-1A showdown inside the LPS gym.
And an extra four minutes wasn’t enough, it took two extra periods to decide this contest.
But three straight turnovers to start the second OT period was too much for Lincoln Prep to overcome as the Panthers fell 63-59, dropping to 17-7 overall and 2-1 in district play.
“That was tough,” Hudson said. “We let one get away. But (our) hat’s off to them. They came here and played hard and did everything they needed to do to pick up a win on the road.”
The game was tied at 48-48 at the end of regulation after the Panthers roared out to a 12-4 advantage in the first 4:36 of the contest and led 19-9 by the end of the opening stanza.
They pushed that lead to 21-9 at the 5:59 mark of the second stanza on an Amarje Young layup before Ringgold went on an 11-2 run the rest of the second quarter to cut Lincoln Prep’s lead to three points at 23-20 at halftime.
Ringgold led 34-33 heading into the final eight minutes of regulation play and outscored the Panthers 15-14 in the fourth quarter to push the game to overtime.
Lincoln Prep trailed 54-51 with 21.5 seconds left in the first OT period but a long 3-pointer that left Trey Spann’s hands with less than a second left hit nothing but net as the game headed to a second overtime tied at 56-56.
Ringgold scored four points after Lincoln Prep turned the ball over three straight times to go up 60-56 with 2:40 left in that stanza.
“Trey made a big shot to push the game to another overtime, but then we turned the ball over three straight times,” Hudson said. “It was one of those self-inflicted deals that have cost us every game we’ve lost this season. I’ve said before, if we could put a whole game together we’d be pretty good.
“But we didn’t do that tonight. And it cost us.”
Lincoln Prep cut the Redskins’ lead to 62-59 on a Young free throw with 1:36 remaining, but Ringgold stretched its led to four points on a free throw with 19.3 seconds on the clock and made sure not to foul on another last second 3-point try by Spann that failed to hit anything to escape with the win.
Young led the Panthers with 17 points while adding seven steals, three assists and two rebounds while Spann totaled 14 points, five boards, five steals and an assist.
Devin Burton double-doubled for the Panthers, totaling 10 points and 13 rebounds along with four assists, two steals and a blocked shot while Jabari Levington added nine points, five boards, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
The Panthers also got five points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists from Frediron Payne and four points, nine boards and an assist from Zion Hicks.
A big part of the Panthers’ loss was that they made only one-of-20 from 3-point range.
“The thing is, we take a lot of stuff for granted,” Hudson said. “And that’s not on them, it’s on me and our coaching staff. Mostly on me. I’ve got to figure out a way to motivate this team so we can continue to get better. But at the same time, they have to receive and accept that challenge.
“We’ve got to get in the gym and get more shots up so there’s no excuse not to shoot the ball better than we are. We just need to go in (to practice) and work.”
Next up for the Panthers will be a District 2-1A game against Homer on Monday.
Pictured is Lincoln Prep girls hoops coach Demitria Johnson (second from right) talking to her Lady Panthers during Friday night’s game against Ringgold. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
GRAMBLING — Sometimes the odds are stacked against an athletic team, no matter what kind of effort is put in.
Lincoln Preparatory School’s girls basketball team is learning that the hard way this season, going through another lesson Friday night as the Lady Panthers fell 43-19 to District 1-1A foe Ringgold inside the LPS Gym.
The loss dropped the Lady Panthers to 2-13 overall and 1-2 in district play while Ringgold moved to 4-14 and 1-2.
Lady Panthers volleyball coach Demitria Johnson took over the helm of the girls basketball team unexpectedly at the start of the season and knew going in she would be facing an uphill battle this season.
“Our girls are not the girls basketball team that plays year-round and concentrates on being part of a basketball team all day long,” Johnson said. “Our kids are academic kids that chose to play basketball and need a little more work to start being consistent in their play.
“So, our basketball IQ needs to grow, our conditioning needs to get better and that will come as they learn it takes commitment to play the game the way they need to. I inherited this team that had no kind of preseason conditioning or anything like that. We have a lot of kids who are busy doing a lot of things (including playing volleyball for Johnson) and are coming in and out of practice.”
Johnson said the future is bright for Lincoln Prep girls hoops, but that for now, patience will be a virtue.
“I know the future is going to be better because we’re raising a lot of young students who are going to help us get better,” Johnson said. “We’re training a lot of our elementary school students and they will be our future.
“And these girls out on the court for us now will get better. We just have to be patient at this point. Once I get a group that can consistently come to practice, I think we’ll see a lot more growth. Right now I’m just trying to get them to consistently show up at practice, because we know games are actually won or lost in practice.”
The Lady Panthers’ inconsistency showed in Friday’s game against Ringgold.
They actually led 6-5 at the end of the first quarter thanks to three baskets from the floor by Synniah Spann.
And they moved out to a 9-5 lead at the 6:30 mark of the second stanza on a Kayla Ferguson free throw and a layup by A’jah Saulsberry.
But the Lady Redskins then went on an 11-1 run — that single point coming on a Spann free throw — to take a 16-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Ringgold put the game away in the third quarter by scoring 16 straight points while holding Lincoln Prep scoreless to put the Lady Panthers down 32-10 heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Za’kyah Wimberly added a 3-pointer and Ferguson scored on a layup for the Lady Panthers in the fourth quarter, but the game was already out of reach heading into that final stanza.
Spann led the Lady Panthers with seven points while Lyric Reed was Ringgold’s top scorer with 20.
Next up for Lincoln Prep will be a game at Homer on Monday.
Jakaleb Modest scored a game-high 20 points to lead three Simboro players in double figures as the Tigers stayed perfect in district play with an 82-43 victory over Weston Friday night.
Trumarion Smith added 17 points and Ahmad Smith scored 12 points as the Tigers improved to 14-8 overall, 5-0 in District 1B action.
Simsboro held a slim 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Tigers exploded in the second stanza. Modest scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the frame while Simsboro converted 10 field goals, three three-pointers, and made 12-of-14 free throws in the frame.
The Tigers led 52-26 at the half.
Simsboro’s onslaught continued in the third quarter with the Tigers outscoring Weston 26-12 to push the lead to 40 points, thus instituting the running clock for the final part of the third quarter and the entirety of the fourth.
TJ Holland and Trumarion Smith each scored six points in the third quarter while Modest, Justin Terrell and Amaren Woodard all connected on three-pointers.
Trent Buggs scored all four points for the Tigers in the final stanza.
Weston fell to 7-19, 0-4 in District 1B.
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Simsboro Scoring: FG(3)-FT=Total Points
Ahmad Smith 6-0=12; Jakaleb Modest 5(2)-8=20; Jalen Outley 2-3=7; Trumarion Smith 6-5=17; Justin Terrell 3(3)-0=9; Amaren Woodard 2(1)-0=5; Jeremiah Levingston 1-0=2; Trent Buggs 2-0=4; TJ Holland 3-0=6. Totals: 30(6)-16=82.
Already playing without senior Jack Bell due to illness, the Cougars lost its leader Cannon Robbins for the rest of the season when he injured both elbows in Tuesday night’s loss to Ringgold.
However, Cedar Creek (12-5, 2-1) overcame the adversity on Friday night in a 59-17 road win over Plain Dealing (0-17, 0-3) in District 1-1A action.
“We had a good night,” said Creek head coach Lance Waldron. “Everyone got to play and played as a team on both offense and defense.”
Jake Terry scored 25 points and Brett Bell added 14 points to lead the Cougars, who improved to 12-5, 2-1 in district play.
The Cougars raced out to a 23-3 lead after the first quarter as Terry netted 13 points in the opening stanza while Bell added six. Both players scored six points in the second quarter as Creek extended the advantage to 39-9.
Cedar Creek was never threatened in the second half.
Waldron addressed the loss of Robbins and the fact the Cougars will be playing short-handed the rest of the season.
“The loss of Cannon for the remainder of the season is devastating,” said Waldron. “He has already been through quite a bit to get the opportunity to play and then to have a season ending injury during his senior year is tough.
“Cannon and his family have been amazing team players ever since they arrived on campus. They are always supportive with a positive attitude…. a coach’s dream! We will not be able to replace Cannon and what he brought to the team both on and off the court so we have to go with a “next player up” mentality. The last two practices have been very competitive and the rest of the team has stepped up.”
Waldron did say the team hopes Bell will be back in time for the postseason.
“Jack Bell is another starter out right now but we hope to have him back for the playoffs,” said Waldron.
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Cedar Creek Scoring: FG(3)-FT=Total Points
Cameron Temple 2-0=4; Brett Bell 6(1)-1=14; Zach Waldron 2-0=4; Rhett Bridges 1-0=2; Luke Waldron 2-2=6; Luke Alexander 2-0=4; Jake Terry 11(3)-0=25.
Girlie McNeal led Ruston with 13 points and 10 rebounds in Friday night’s loss to Ouachita (Photo by Josh McDaniel).
by Malcolm Butler
Senior Night was not one to remember for Ruston.
The Lady Bearcats (9-12, 1-2) struggled all night to knock down shots as the home team fell 44-30 to District 2-5A foe Ouachita (18-6, 3-0) at RHS Gym.
“We couldn’t get it together mentally,” said Ruston High coach LaShanda Cooper. “On offense or defense. We missed a lot of defensive assignments. We didn’t get many plays run like we should have.
“We knew they were going to play full court man-to-man and we have seen this before with some of the teams we have played. We felt we would be prepared for this type of team, but we just could not execute.”
Angelica Green and Bailee Harrison each netted four points in the opening quarter for Ruston as the two teams found themselves tied at 9-9 after the opening quarter of play. Kiersynce McNeal scored five points in the second quarter, including a conventional three-point play with 6:42 to play to give Ruston a 14-12 lead.
However, Ouachita used a 7-0 run and ended the half on a 11-4 run to take a 23-18 lead into the halftime locker room.
Ruston’s guards found seams in the Lions defense for much of the night, but the Lady Bearcats weren’t able to get shots to fall consistently … even at point blank range.
“Offensively, we got a lot of good looks,” said Cooper. “The ball just wouldn’t fall. And when it’s not your night, then it’s not your night. It hurts a little bit more when it’s on senior night or when it’s one of the bigger games. I felt like this was a big district game for us, but we just didn’t execute.”
The Lions were able to extend their lead in the third quarter, outscoring Ruston 12-6 to push the advantage to 35-14.
The Lady Bearcats forced initial misses by the Lions throughout the night, but Ouachita got second chance opportunities thanks to their offensive rebounding. It was one of the big differences in the game, according to the Ruston first year head coach.
“We felt like they couldn’t handle a zone defense,” said Cooper. “We wanted to slow them down instead of speed them up. We played zone to give them more of a thinking type game to make them make a decision.
“(Rebounding) has been killing us all year. Nothing went right. Missed box outs. Them getting second chance opportunities, over and over and over again. It hurts when it’s multiple people, and it’s not just one mixed box out. When you aren’t boxing out as a team, it can cost you at the end. That’s exactly what happened to us.”
McNeal cut the deficit to 35-26 on a baseline drive on the first possession of the fourth quarter, but the Lady Bearcats simply couldn’t mount enough offense to ever threaten the Lions.
In addition to McNeal’s 13 points and 10 rebounds, Harrison added 10 points for the Lady Bearcats.
Mallory Smith hit a trifecta of three-pointers to help Cedar Creek pick up its 10th straight win. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Alivia Lee scored a career-high 22 points and Ryan Avery added 15 points to lead Cedar Creek to a 60-37 road win over Plain Dealing in District 1-1A action Friday night.
The Lady Cougars (22-3, 4-0) jumped out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and were never really threatened while staying undefeated in league action. It was also head coach Katie Hall’s teams third victory over the past five days.
“Playing our third game this week after a long week of school on a Friday night, I expected our team to be a little flat,” said Hall. “We came out of the gate missing a lot of 3’s. We got a lot of good looks but our shots weren’t going in.”
Ryan scored nine of her 15 points in the opening frame as Creek led 19-8 through the opening eight minutes of action. Lee led the Lady Cougars in the second quarter, netting five points and helping her team extend its lead to 30-13 at the break.
Cedar Creek utilized a full-court defense, forcing Plain Dealing (12-12, 2-1) into turnover after turnover, and helping the Lady Cougars build their lead.
“Fortunately we were able to capitalize on their turnovers and score some buckets in transition,” said Hall. “I am very grateful to get a district victory on the road. Hopefully we can get some good rest this weekend and get ready to get back to work next week.”
Lee and Mallory Smith combined for 14 points in the third quarter as the Lady Cougars continued to build on their advantage, holding a 49-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Cedar Creek hit five three-pointers, three by Smith, while the Lady Cougars were 6-of-8 at the free throw line with Lee doing most of the damage from the stripe (5-of-6).
The Lady Cougars, winners of 10 straight, will host Haynesville Tuesday before traveling to Lincoln Prep Friday.
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Cedar Creek Scoring: FG(3)-FT=Total Points
Alivia Lee 8(1)-5=22; Mary Grace Hawkins 1(1)-0=3; Britton Bennett 1-0=2; Caroline James 0-1=1; Mallory Smith 4(3)-0=11; Taylor Martinez 1-0=2; Zoey Venters 2-0=4; Avery Ryan 7(1)-0=15. Totals: 24(6)-6-60.
Aidan Anding and the Ruston defense held Ouachita to a season low in points. (photo by Josh McDaniel)
by Malcolm Butler
Sophomore Delaney Mason put the exclamation mark on Friday night’s Ruston win.
Mason grabbed a loose basketball, split a couple of Ouachita defenders, and dribbled the length of the court before throwing down a two-handed dunk to cap Ruston’s 73-42 win over the Lions at RHS Gym.
It was a fitting end to a dominating performance by Ruston (13-4, 3-0).
The Bearcats led almost start to finish as Keshun Malcolm scored 18 points, Ahmad Hudson added 15 points and Zaterrion Sutton chipped in with 13 points.
When Ruston wasn’t draining one of its 10 three-pointer on the night or scoring around the rim, the Bearcats were causing chaos on the defensive end against Ouachita (17-7, 2-1).
Between Ruston’s D and Lions freshman phenom Darren Ford, son of LA Tech basketball alums Amber Obaze Ford and Daryl Ford, slowed by foul trouble most of the night, Ouachita simply never mounted much of an offensive attack.
Despite holding Ouachita to 42 points, acting head coach Corey Deans didn’t think his team was stellar on that end of the floor.
“I have to go watch the film,” said Deans. “I didn’t think we played good assignment defense. I thought we got lucky and some of their guys missed some shots. But we could have taken some of their legs away running our offense.”
Ford converted the rare four-point play midway through the opening quarter to give Ouachita a 9-5 advantage, but the Bearcats answered by finishing the stanza on a 13-2 run capped by a Hudson dunk in transition in the waning seconds.
Ford picked up his second foul less than a minute into the second quarter, forcing him to go to the bench and the Bearcats made the Lions pay. Malcolm and Hudson combined for six straight points to push the lead to 26-13 and then Aidan Anding drained a corner three-pointer with 3:25 to play to extend it to 29-13.
Ouachita re-inserted Ford into the lineup and the freshman was whistled for his third foul less than a minute later, once again sending him to the bench.
Ruston held the Lions without a field goal for almost seven minutes of the second quarter as the Bearcats led 31-16 at the break.
“Every game we are getting a little bit more comfortable with our offense,” said Deans. “Every week we add another set so when teams scout us, there are things they haven’t seen.”
Ford scored early in the third quarter for the Lions but then picked up his fourth foul with 6:47 to play in the stanza.
With Ruston leading 38-22 with 5 minutes to play in the third, Malcolm took over the game for the next two minutes. The sophomore guard went coast-to-coast to score in transition and then completed a conventional three-point play 40 seconds later. He then capped the one-man scoring spree with a reverse layup, upping the RHS advantage to 45-22 with 3:20 to play in the third and forcing a Ouachita timeout.
Zheric Hill drained a three and Sutton scored five straight as Ruston led 53-30 entering the fourth.
“We have been working in practice on sharing the basketball; driving and kicking,” said Deans. “The guys are not selfish, they just don’t always know how to make reads. The more we work on it, the better we are going to get. I think we got a lot better (tonight).”
The final stanza saw another highlight dunk by Hudson in transition, a long three-pointer by Hill, and even a trifecta by Hudson. However, the capacity crowd which had plenty to cheer all night about erupted on Delaney’s dunk in the closing minutes.
“(Delaney) got a lot of playing time before the football guys came back out,” said Deans. “We had 13 JV games so he has plenty playing a lot in those. I told Coach Jackson that I felt it was important to play a lot of JV games for those guys who may not play a lot of varsity. They can stay in rhythm and can come in and produce.”
Anding added nine points and Hill eight for the Bearcats.
A Ruston man has been charged in a fatal crash near Simsboro on January 15 that killed his infant child and injured seven others.
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Billy Antoine Brown, 31, on a warrant charging him with vehicular homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Louisiana State Police is responsible for the investigation but has released few details about the single-vehicle crash on Interstate 20.
LPSO Lt. Matt Henderson said deputies responded to assist state police about 10:00 p.m. on January 15 and found a Kia automobile occupied by eight people. Seven, including a number of children, were injured and a young child was killed. Brown was identified as the driver of the Kia.
Two of the injured passengers were airlifted to Ochsner/LSU Health Medical Center in Shreveport for treatment.
The eastbound vehicle apparently left the roadway and struck a pile of trees from a right-of-way clearing project and caught fire. The project has been ongoing for several months and entails clearing all trees off the right-of-way from the Tarbutton Road interchange in Ruston to the Lincoln-Bienville Parish line.
Trooper Ryan Davis told the Lincoln Parish Journal on January 17 that LSP was still investigating the cause of the crash. He said the vehicle was eastbound on I-20 and left the roadway and that the release of additional information was not imminent.
LSP did not respond to requests for more information Thursday.
According to records of the Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court, Brown pled guilty in Third District Court to possession with intent to distribute schedule a controlled substance, illegal carrying of weapons, and illegal possession of stolen firearms in September 2020 and sentenced to five years in prison. However, the prison sentence was suspended in lieu of three years on probation. Brown was also convicted of domestic abuse battery on May 7, 2024 and sentenced to one year in prison.
Courtesy of the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau
Experience Ruston (Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau) is proud to announce the 2024 Lincoln Parish Hospitality Award recipient is James Ramsaur, Director of Lincoln Parish Park. The award will be presented to Ramsaur at the Chamber Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 6, at the Ruston Civic Center.
Since becoming Director of Lincoln Parish Park in 1996, Ramsaur has been instrumental in the development of the park’s cross country mountain bike trails, the completion of the campground and subsequent upgrades to tent and RV campsites, the addition of a paved walking path around the lake, and most recently, the development of the world’s first MTB Waterfall Hub. These continued enhancements to Lincoln Parish Park have made this outdoor attraction one of the top-visited destinations in the area, drawing more than 100,000 visitors to the park annually.
“It is a great honor for the park to receive this award,” said Ramsaur. “We believed that the new Waterfall Hub and flow trails would bring people to our community from a multi-state area, and in just nine months, the visitation has exceeded our expectations.”
In August of 2020, Ramsaur had the vision of developing downhill flow trails at the park, a concept growing in popularity with mountain bikers nationwide. After nearly four years of planning, securing funding, and construction, Lincoln Parish Park opened the World’s First Waterfall MTB Hub in May of 2024. The Hub features five state-of-the-art flow trails designed for riders of all skill levels and built by world-famous trail designers Rogue Trails. The unique design and scenic park views make it a top destination for mountain biking enthusiasts across the county.
“James has truly been a driving force of destination development in our community through the years,” said Amanda Carrier, President & CEO of Experience Ruston. “Not only is he an incredible visionary and advocate for Lincoln Parish Park, but he is an ambassador for tourism to our area. We’re so appreciative of the work he’s done for the park and are proud to call him an industry partner.”
Since 1999, the Ruston Lincoln CVB has recognized members of the community who make a significant impact on our area and help fulfill the CVB’s mission by honoring them with the Lincoln Parish Hospitality Award. The Ruston Lincoln CVB is honored to present this year’s award to James Ramsaur.
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About the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization that works to create, preserve and enhance a variety of quality visitor experiences through the promotion of Lincoln Parish. For more information, visit www.experienceruston.com.
Grambling native Jon-Al Duplantier and his wife, Devra Mouton Duplantier, believe that everyone should have a chance to reach their full potential and positively contribute to society.
He credits God for being the driving force behind the couple’s decision to create two $40,000 endowments recently established at Grambling State University (GSU) in the name of the Duplantier and Mouton (Devra’s maiden name) families to go toward the school’s GAP Scholarship Fund.
“My wife and I are grateful for everything God has provided to us, and as faithful stewards, we are committed to sharing it with others in need,” Duplantier said. “All the credit goes to God. This isn’t about us, it’s about Him.”
Duplantier, who earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from GSU in 1989, went on to earn his juris doctorate in Law from LSU. He retired after 28 years working for energy companies, including as president of Rental Tools and Well Services at Parker Drilling. He had previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and General Counsel at Parker Drilling.
Before that, Duplantier spent almost two decades with ConocoPhillips, serving in a number of senior legal, commercial, and environmental roles that included posts in the United States, Indonesia, and Dubai.
He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Kodiak Gas Services, Inc., Sitio Royalties, Stellar Bancorp, and AltaGas Ltd.
When asked about his professional journey, Duplantier credits growing up in Grambling and attending Grambling State University as contributing factors to his professional accomplishments.
“Grambling helped build up my confidence,” Duplantier said. “When I was 18 years old, if I had left Grambling and gone to a big, predominately white school, I probably would have developed into a different type of person. I would have been trying to fit in at a critical point in my adult development.”
“But because I didn’t have to go and try to fit in anywhere, I could just be who I was comfortable being at that time. I was able to spend time with my friends and family in an environment that was familiar and comfortable.”
Duplantier met his wife the summer before his senior year at Grambling Laboratory High School in her hometown of Opelousas, Louisiana, and 40 years later they are still going strong.
“Devra and I met the year before we went to college,” Duplantier said. “So, we wrote and mailed letters for about a year before we both arrived at Grambling as freshmen in 1985. We dated in college and the first two years of law school before we got married. We’ve been married for 33 years and in each other’s lives for 40 of my 57 years.”
Duplantier said a charity event he and his wife attended sparked their desire to concentrate more on a focused approach to giving back to others.
“A few years ago, Devra and I had a realization after going to a charity event, a Black-Tie Gala for a group called Attack Poverty,” Duplantier said. “They were raising money for charity, and they had a number of posters up on the wall, and a couple of those posters had statistics — statistics that just blew us away.”
“One statistic was that if kids don’t read on grade level by the time they’re in the third grade, they’re four times less likely than their peers to graduate high school. And the other stat was 70% of U.S. inmates — people who are locked up — read at the fourth-grade level or lower.”
That led Duplantier and his wife to volunteer at Life Change Church (where they are members) to provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for a summer reading lab for kids in grades 1-3. The church provides space, resources, computers, and volunteers.
“Our church is in a lower socio-economic zone of Houston. For three summers now, from Monday through Friday for eight weeks, Devra and I, along with the support of other volunteers, teach kids how to read,” he said. “These are not all kids from the church, some of the kids are from the community and do not attend any church.”
“We provide them with an individual Apple MacBook or Google Chromebook and personal subscriptions to an online reading program. The kids think they’re playing games, but they’re actually learning to recognize letters, recognize sounds, recognize words, and ultimately, they learn to read.”
That reading program is held from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and includes lunch.
“We have partnered with the Houston Food Bank which delivers a healthy, nutritional meal for the kids for free,” Duplantier said. “For those kids who attend most of the sessions, the church gifts them the computer so that they continue to work on the online course.”
“Our first summer we had 13 kids, and the second we had 19. Then last summer we had 25, so it’s growing.”
The Duplantiers began their efforts to give back to Grambling State University in earnest four years ago.
“It’s in our hearts now that we need to do more to help people,” Duplantier said. “Throughout my career, I’ve met some really smart people who, had they been given a chance earlier, their careers would have been far more productive and successful than they were. They did fine, but they were starting from a hole — people who had to borrow money to go to school, people who didn’t know who they were at 25. They were always trying to fit in, and it took them longer than their corporate peers to find steady footing.”
“Dev and I talked to (former GSU and current University of Louisiana System President) Rick Gallot, and to (current GSU President) Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr. This started with Rick about four years ago when he told us about a problem at GSU. He said the university was admitting kids that arrive on campus and stay for a couple of weeks while their financial aid packages are sorted. But oftentimes, GSU approves as much aid as it is capable of giving them, and the students’ parents write a check for as much as they can write, and yet there remains a balance of approximately $2,000 – $2,500 they can’t cover. Consequently, the kids go home through no fault of their own.”
After that conversation with Gallot, the Duplantiers started giving $10,000 per year to provide financial assistance to four such students every year to get the $2,500 the students needed.
Then last football season the Duplantiers attended the Grambling-Texas Southern football game in Houston and spent quite a bit of time talking with GSU Vice President for Advancement and Innovation, Brandon A. Logan, and decided to establish the Mouton and Duplantier endowments.
“The thought was, because of the availability of federal and state matching funds, if we could give Grambling $40,000, the university can turn that into $100,000, which would help create a long-lasting perpetuity of $2,500 for kids in the spring and the fall.”
“While we’re no longer paying for four GAP Scholarships every year, we are happy that each of the two endowments will pay for one student each fall and spring forever. We are very grateful to my brother, André, and his wife, Lestavia — both GSU graduates — who decided to contribute $20,000. Devra and I matched that amount to create the Duplantier Family Scholarship. We funded the Mouton Family Scholarship on our own.”
“Our kids went to college and graduated debt free,” Duplantier said. “This is a way for us to help other kids graduate with less debt, or no debt, as well.”
The Mouton Family scholarship was established in memory of Devra’s parents, Harold and Charlotte Mouton.
“My wife’s mother and father were lifelong educators,” Duplantier said. “Her mom was a high school English and Drama teacher, and her dad worked with special needs kids for a long time before becoming a high school administrator.”
“So, Dev and I created the endowed Mouton Family Scholarship to honor and respect the memory of my wife’s mom and dad for what they have done and what they meant to kids in and around St. Landry Parish. They both — her mom and dad — went to and graduated from GSU.”
The endowed Duplantier Family Scholarship honors the memory of the Duplantier brothers’ parents. Their father, John Allen Duplantier (known on campus as “Mr. D.”), was a longtime Grambling State professor. Their mother, Gwendolyn Veleta Duplantier, (known as “Ms. D.”), spent 30 years as a secretary and mentor in the Basic Studies Department.
“I feel blessed to have grown up in Grambling and be in the position I’m in today,” Duplantier said. “And I do not take my blessings for granted. Devra and I have been given much. Giving back to GSU and helping kids in need of financial assistance stay enrolled and graduate with less debt is one way we pay those blessings forward.”
Max Causey (line judge) will call his first Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Scott Agulnek, Director of Football Communications for the Dallas Cowboys).
by Malcolm Butler
Max Causey has football in his blood.
When your grandfather was the legendary Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame Coach Maxie Lambright and your late father John Causey was a player and a coach, well you grow up around the sport.
And that’s what Max did.
From his playing days in elementary school and junior high to West Monroe High School and Louisiana Tech University, Max has lived and breathed the game for his entire life.
Now in his third year as an NFL official, the Ruston native will be “playing” in the biggest game of his career next Sunday when he serves as the line judge on the crew calling the Super Bowl match-up between Kansas City and Philadelphia at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans.
Although NFL officials aren’t allowed to conduct interviews during the season, Max – and his Super Bowl officiating teammates – were interviewed by the NFL this week leading up to the big game.
“Getting (to work) the Super Bowl is a tremendous honor,” said Max in his interview. “It’s obviously the pinnacle of our sport. When you think about a lot of the great officials in the history of our game who have gotten this assignment, it’s an extremely high honor.
“And when you think of many of the great officials who for whatever reason don’t get this opportunity, I’m going to bring in spirit with me.”
Typical Max answer. Honored and always thinking of others.
So how important has the game been in his life?
“Outside of my relationship with Jesus Christ and my family, there has been nothing in my life that has impacted me more than the game of football,” said Max. “I have been around the game my entire life. My grandfather was a player and coach. My dad was a player and coach. I grew up around the sport. I have loved the sport ever since I could remember.”
Following the end to his collegiate playing career with the Bulldogs, Max said he received a call one day from a friend of his. That phone call was the start to the journey to Super Bowl LIX.
“I played football and after I played football, I really wanted to stick around the game,” said Max. “So, I got into officiating. So, football is huge for me. I have learned so many life lessons from football, and it has truly shaped and molded me to be the person that I am today.
“I had a friend that played college football, and he called me, and he said that I should get involved in officiating. I got involved with my local high school association. I grew to love officiating. I had no objective, no goal, other than to be around the game of football. Shortly thereafter, I realized that I would love to advance my career, and here I am now.”
Yes, here he is … refereeing the best players in the world on the biggest stage in the world in his home state.
So why would anyone want to put themselves in a position to be on the wrong end of the wrath of NFL coaches, players and fans in the fall and winter?
That’s an easy answer for Max.
“I wear the stripes to strive to help to advance the game of football,” said Max.” I love this sport. I think it’s the greatest sport on earth. I love being involved in it. I love interacting with the players, the coaches, (and) my fellow officials.
“Being on an NFL field on a Sunday afternoon, there’s not much like it.”
On Sunday, February 9, Max and the Super Bowl crew will experience a different level of “Sunday afternoon” football.
And Ruston’s very own has earned the right to be among the greatest in the game to do so.
The Lincoln Parish Journal is providing our local schools with an opportunity to submit nuggets from what’s going on at their respective schools in order to get more information out on their students, faculty and staff. The information below comes directly from those schools. Any school wishing to provide content each week can email to hannalsingh@gmail.com
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High Schools
Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek’s AP Environmental Science class, led by Mrs. Carrifrances Alexander, applied their knowledge of wind energy with great success at the KidWind Challenge at ULM.
Second Place Sail Car: Luke Waldron, Mallory Smith, Triston Floyd, Cameron Temple ($100 prize)
Second Place KidWind (high school): Luke Roy, Brandon Ward, Landon Hall, Annalise Paul ($100 prize)
First Place KidWind (high school): Taylor Basham, Mada Kneeland, Mason Wooden, Rosemary Sewell ($150 prize)
Cedar Creek also earned an invitation to the 2025 World KidWind Challenge in Phoenix, Arizona.
2nd Place- Alaya Littleton and Mariah Williams 3rd Place- Jakarta Williams
Ruston High School
It’s a busy week in Bearcat Nation!
Today (1/31), the varsity boys and girls basketball teams will take on Ouachita at home at 7:00!
Saturday (2/1), varsity baseball will travel to compete in a scrimmage against Minden at 1:00!
This Monday (2/3), the freshmen and JV boys basketball teams will play at Richwood at 5:30.
This Tuesday (2/4), the varsity girls and varsity boys basketball teams will travel to play Winnefield at 7:00!
Also on Tuesday (2/4), the Lady Bearcat softball team will travel to play Parkway in a scrimmage at 5:30!
On Wednesday (2/5), the freshman and JV boys basketball teams will play West Monroe at home at 5:00!
Thursday (2/6), the freshman baseball team will play in the Freshman Jamboree at West Ouachita.
The Teacher of the Week is Ms. Holton! Mrs. Holton teaches civics! She has been teaching 16 years, with 3 of those at RHS! Along with teaching, she also sponsors the Key Club! Thank you for all you do Mrs. Holton!
Simsboro
Join us for a color run! Saturday, February 8th. 9:00 AM – Noon. Madden Park- Across from Simsboro High School. Hwy 80, Simsboro, LA 71275. For more information contact Kaitlyn Mercer (SHS FLA Advisor) at (318) 247-6265 or kaitlyn.mercer@lincolnschools.org
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Northeat Human Services Authority.
In case the event is rained out, the color run will not be rescheduled, and payments will not be refunded. Instead, the activity booth will be set up inside the Simsboro High School gym.
Elementary Schools
Choudrant
Upcoming Events:
Feb. 12 100th Day of School Celebration for K&1 grade
Feb. 13 Virtual Day for students / Parent/Teacher conference day
Feb. 14 No School / Celebrating our “A” District
Feb. 17-21 Kindness Week
Feb. 21 Wear Red and Pink for Kindness Day
Feb. 28 Book Character Day PreK-2 8:15 in courtyard
March 14 Aggie Mile
Way to Go! Ninety-five Lil’ Aggies 2nd-5th qualified to attend their first Book Taco Party. Our Second – Fifth graders read a total of 995 books this last nine weeks! Way to go!
PTO News
Lil’ Aggies had a terrific evening at Movie Night sponsored by our PTO. Thank you to all our students and families for coming and supporting the PTO. Thank you to Century Next Bank for the popcorn donation and our friends at the Village of Choudrant for the ability to view movies in a group setting!
Students are lacing up their sneakers soon to run their best at our school’s 3rd annual Aggie Mile fundraiser March 14th. The money raised will go towards outdoor picnic tables for students to have the opportunity to have class outdoors.
RUSTON, La. — Following the season successes of both respective programs, both the Ruston High girls’ and boys’ soccer squads will be hosting first round tournament matchups tonight: the Lady Bearcats (8-5-3) will host Sam Houston (7-8-4) at 5 p.m. at Hoss Garrett Stadium, and the boys (10-4-4) will follow afterward against David Thibodeaux (10-7-4) at 6:45 p.m.
Both teams will enter the playoffs as the No. 14 seed in Division II.
“We are looking forward to hosting Sam Houston,” Lady Bearcat head coach Jacquelyn Bean said. “They are a strong team, and looking at their scheduled competition from this season, they finished lower in the rankings than they should have, they will test us on multiple levels of play. We have been working tirelessly to improve our ranking in the last two weeks to be able to host in the first round.
“After hosting Neville on Monday, which is the match we most look forward to on our entire schedule, our girls are super pumped about how the 2025 regular season ended getting that win. Our Lady Bearcat Seniors are an impressive group of leaders who are both strong and tough. I’m proud to have been their coach for the past three seasons.”
Bearcat head coach Isaac Ramirez also shared his excitement for his team to host a playoff match, as well.
“We are extremely excited to be able to host a home playoff game,” Ramirez said. “It’s something that boys soccer hasn’t been able to achieve in quite some time. This season has been a huge success. We ended our regular season with a 10-4-4 record. The first time since 2018 that boys soccer has had a winning record. Our goal was to win district this season, but a loss in penalty kicks kept us from achieving that goal, placing us 2nd in district.”
“However, I couldn’t be more proud of this team and the hard work they have put in this season. I’ve told the boys from the beginning, “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard” and this season has been a reflection of that quote. They have become a family and we have a great group of seniors and juniors that have become leaders on this team and have set an example of what we are aiming to achieve every season moving forward.”
Admission will be $7 for both matches. Tickets can be purchased on GoFAN.
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office recovered a pick-up truck stolen from Ruston during the arrest of the driver on a suspicious vehicle call.
Seth Cooper Allen, 26, was arrested on January 26 after a deputy responded to La. Highway 3005 regarding a suspicious vehicle.
The deputy found the vehicle stopped partially in the roadway. The driver exited the truck and said he was working on the vehicle for his cousin. He said he did not know where his cousin got the vehicle or who it belonged to.
When asked his name, the man said Gabriel Irwin. A record check on that name and the date of birth showed no results in databases.
When the deputy returned from checking the name in his patrol vehicle, he saw a wallet on the ground next to the man’s feet. At that time, the man said he had been dishonest about his name and identified himself as Seth Allen.
A warrant check showed Allen was wanted by the Ruston Police Department for criminal trespass and bank fraud. Paperwork in the glove box and the vehicle identification number showed the truck had been stolen in Ruston and the license plate switched.
Allen was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for illegal possession of stolen things, switched license plate, resisting an officer by providing false information, and the warrants for criminal trespass and bank fraud.
Allen’s bail was set at $17,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
A Simsboro man was arrested in Ruston Monday after he was stopped by police after a report he was checking door handles of vehicles in the Walmart parking lot.
Torranzec Raynard Melton, 40, was spotted in the Walmart Supercenter matching the description given to police.
Melton had been previously banned from all Walmart stores. A records check showed Melton was wanted by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office for our failure to register as a sex offender. He was arrested and a subsequent search located suspected methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
Melton was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of methamphetamine, possession of synthetic marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, remaining on premises after being forbidden, and the LPSO warrant.
Melton’s bail was set at $206,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
The washing machine at the Gibsland house is one of those front-loading types. The dryer is also. The dryer is stacked on top of the washer. I can stand in the laundry room and watch the laundry wash and dry. Sometimes that is better than what is on television. I have entered the phase of watching old football games to get through to the NFL-pre-season in August. I am rapidly running out of football season. I have tried to watch the new spring pro football games, but they have not caught my football fancy completely.
I remember the old-fashioned load it from the top type washing machines. I owned one that had a clear lid so I could stand there and watch the laundry do its thing too. I was a newer model that was missing something, more on that soon. If you have never seen laundry in the machines, you might try it. It is hypnotic. You can play games timing how long it takes the sweater to move from the front to the back and return. I know that none of you kill time like that. There are apps for killing time!
What both washing machines were missing was that thingy in the middle of the washing drum.
That thingy is called the agitator.
The internet, keeper of all knowledge, reads:
“In top loading washing machines, the agitator is responsible for moving the clothes through the water and detergent and is driven by the output shaft of the transmission. The output shaft is normally splined, and the center of the plastic agitator will have a matching spline to ensure a tight fit.”
The new washers have an agitation feature, but it is done in different ways. The thingy in the middle is not there. You want your laundry agitated!
Read again the definition for agitator in washing machines. They move clothes through the process. They are necessary for the washing process.
I think I am going to follow God’s call to be an agitator. My goal is to move people through the process of knowing Christ. If someone knows Christ, I want to agitate in such a way they will know Him better. I will agitate for the church to be a better place. I will agitate myself so that my life and faith are in alignment.
The thing about agitators, they are moving the process toward a better outcome. They not only point out what is wrong, they offer solutions and suggestions to make improvements.
Sunday, I invite you to a gathering of agitators at your local church. They are agitating for change, to transform the world in the name of Jesus.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
The Las Vegas Raiders and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) will present the inaugural Las Vegas HBCU Classic between two storied football programs, Grambling State University and Jackson State University, on October 25, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium.
The landmark event will celebrate the rich legacy and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), showcasing one of college football’s most storied rivalries. The match-up will mark the 73rd all-time meeting between the two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) programs. Grambling earned a 41-20 victory in the last meeting on September 21, 2024.
“There is a lot of buzz around the alumni base and around the team; everybody is really excited about having this opportunity to take our team to Vegas and play on this stage,” said GSU head coach Mickey Joseph. “We have a large alumni base out there in California, Vegas, on the West Coast.
“To play a team like Jackson State, who has a strong following, the same with us, that we’re going to have a strong following, so it’s a great opportunity for both teams to go out there and show what we have. You got to take your hat off to the SWAC and to both athletic directors for putting their heads together and coming up with this idea. This is a great idea. We accept the challenge, and I’m sure Jackson State’s excited.”
The first Las Vegas HBCU Classic will extend far beyond the Allegiant Stadium playing field, showcasing two of college football’s most celebrated marching bands: Grambling’s “World Famed” Tiger Marching Band and Jackson State’s internationally renowned “Sonic Boom of the South.”
“We are proud to welcome Grambling and Jackson State to Las Vegas in October for this historic HBCU match-up,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA. “This game is more than just a competition-it’s a celebration of culture, tradition, and community that resonates far beyond the field. We look forward to showcasing the excitement and hospitality Las Vegas has to offer to the teams, alumni, and fans.”
The contest marks Grambling’s second appearance in the “Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World,” following a 2002 match-up against Tennessee State at Sam Boyd Stadium. Grambling’s “World Famed” Tiger Marching Band also performed at halftime of a Raiders game during the 2021 season. Jackson State returns for its third visit after facing UNLV in 1975 and 2016. Las Vegas last hosted an HBCU football program on September 2, 2017, when Howard University shocked UNLV as a heavy underdog in one of college football’s most stunning upsets.
“We are excited about the opportunity to compete in the inaugural Las Vegas HBCU Classic,” said GSU Vice President for Athletics Trayvean Scott. “This game provides us with a tremendous opportunity to not only compete on a premier stage in front of a national audience, but also allows us to further showcase our great institution while also allowing us to reconnect with Grambling alumni, supporters, and friends on the west coast.”
Presales for tickets and fan experience travel packages will go on sale on March 3, offering attendees exclusive opportunities to take in the game and the best of Las Vegas, and the public on sale will begin on March 7. For information on travel packages and tickets, visit allegiantstadium.com/lvhbcuclassic or @lvhbcuclassic on Instagram and X.
Broadcast details, kickoff time, and credential information will be announced at a later date.
The Las Vegas HBCU Classic was created through a strategic partnership between the Las Vegas Raiders, ASM Global, Russ Potts Productions, Inc., and the LVCVA. This collaboration brings HBCUs to the forefront, celebrating their rich athletic tradition and cultural heritage while showcasing top-tier college football at world-class Allegiant Stadium.
Louisiana Tech’s senior left-handed pitcher Luke Nichols has been named to the 2025 Preseason All-Conference USA, per the league office’s announcement Thursday afternoon.
And the Bulldogs were picked second in the preseason coaches poll, behind only Dallas Baptist.
“It’s always good to see our players be recognized for their hard work, sacrifice and commitment, and Luke definitely deserves this recognition,” head coach Lane Burroughs said about his standout pitcher.
Tech garnered 87 points in the poll, trailing only DBU’s 99. WKU, Sam Houston, Liberty, Kennesaw State, FIU, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State and Jacksonville State rounded out the poll.
Native of Bell City, Missouri, Nichols arrived in Ruston prior to the 2024 season as a transfer from Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo. He earned First Team All-Conference recognitions after collecting a record of 4-4 in 17 appearances with 16 starts, as well as being named to the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
He tossed a team-high 78.2 innings with 82 strikeouts, which ranked the second-most on LA Tech’s roster, while maintaining a 4.46 ERA.
“He was a weekend mainstay for us last year and, quite frankly, his numbers-especially wins and losses-should have been better,” Burroughs said. “He had some things go against him in games that was totally out of his control. It was great to see voters recognize his skill set last year and award him All-CUSA honors.”
Nichols threw the lone complete game for the Bulldogs against Western Kentucky on May 11 in a seven-inning run rule over the Hilltoppers. He posted a line of five hits, two runs, one walk and five punchouts in the 12-2 route.
He fanned a season-high nine batters against Liberty during the final regular-season weekend series. Nichols threw at least five strikeouts in eight of his appearances and recorded at least seven strikeouts in in four of his last seven appearances of the 2024 season.
“I know it’s coach speak,” Burroughs added. “But Luke and all of our guys will tell you that the only polls and accolades that matter are the ones at the end of the season, but it’s always nice to garner respect from your peers.”
Nichols and the Bulldogs open up the 2025 campaign on Friday, February 14 for a four-game series with the Maine Black Bears at J.C. Love Field.
2025 CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll
Rank
School (first-place votes)
Total
1.
DBU (9)
99
2.
Louisiana Tech
87
3.
WKU
72
4.
Sam Houston
56
5.
Liberty
55
6.
Kennesaw State
54
7.
FIU
44
T-8.
MTSU
29
T-8.
NM State (1)
29
10.
Jax State
25
CUSA Baseball Preseason Player of the Year Grant Jay, DBU, C
CUSA Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year Jerrod Jenkins, DBU, RHP
Robert Charles Wright Tuesday 11/22/1949 — Saturday 01/18/2025 Memorial Service: Saturday 02/01/2025 12:00pm, New Living Word Ministries, 1900 West Barnett Springs Road, Ruston Private Burial
Shedrick Green, IV Wednesday 02/07/2007 — Friday 01/24/2025 Visitation: Friday 01/31/2025 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday 02/01/2025 2:00pm, New Hope Baptist Church, 204 W Vaughn Ave., Ruston Interment: Saturday 02/01/2025 Following Service, Liberty Hill Cemetery, 619 Liberty Hill Rd., Simsboro
Barbara Ann Knight McKaskle July 20, 1934 – January 20, 2025 Visitation: Burkhalter Chapel at Trinity Methodist Church, Saturday, February 15, 2025, 1:00 pm Service: Burkhalter Chapel at Trinity Methodist Church, Saturday, February 15, 2025, 2:00 pm Reception: Burkhalter Chapel at Trinity Methodist Church, Saturday, February 15, 2025
Despite a flurry of internet message board rumors, Ruston High Head Football Coach Jerrod Baugh will not be leaving Ruston High School and will remain fully in his role with the Bearcats.
“I will be staying at Ruston. I don’t pay any attention to those message board things. I don’t know where some of that stuff comes from or who is even on there spreading that. I’m staying at Ruston High.”
His name had been thrown as the leading candidate for the Lufkin High School job on multiple high school football message boards, though there was no definitive evidence for the posts.
Baugh added that the support he has from the community in the Ruston-area would make it difficult for him to entertain future offers.
“I take every opportunity I can get to let everyone know how appreciative I have been and am of the support of the community and administration from the school,” Baugh said. “The administration has given me what I’ve needed since I’ve worked in Ruston. Obviously, I’m very appreciative of that, and it would be very hard to look at other jobs because of that.”
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
LPJ publishers Kyle and Judith Roberts talk Tech with President Jim Henderson.
The LPJ sat down with Dr. Jim Henderson this week to discuss his first year as Louisiana Tech’s president. Henderson discussed academics, athletics, and the local community from this past year and moving forward. This is the first of a series of articles highlighting his first year.
By Judith Roberts
Change seemed to be the word of the winter 2024 season for Louisiana Tech with the hiring of a new provost, new athletics director and new president — all within less than a couple of months. This past year under Dr. Jim Henderson, however, has seen permanence in top leadership as well as increased communication across campus.
Henderson, who is known to have breakfasts and luncheons with faculty and staff, said bringing them together helps everyone realize moving the university forward is a team effort in which everyone wants to contribute.
“It has this effect of everyone starting to believe in the potential of this institution,” Henderson said. “That is great in the abstract, but you also have to have some finite work associated.”
Part of the work accomplished this year, he said, was some restructuring of units.
“We’ve brought together the Innovation Enterprise and University Advancement to create the Division of Innovation and Advancement,” he said. “We know that the resources necessary to help this institution reach its potential are not going to come from the state. It’s not going to come solely from students. It’s not going to come from general philanthropy. It’s going to come from leveraging the assets we have to develop revenue streams. And so that was that was a key.”
Another development during the last half of the calendar year was creating a strategic framework that would continue through 2030. Henderson said university leadership asked opinions from individuals who had worked at Tech for many years as well as fresh eyes to determine what Tech’s vision should be.
“It’s really built around the students, (determining) how to create the optimum environment where students can realize their greatest dreams and aspirations and, most importantly, their potential,” he said. “How do we create an environment where faculty and staff feel personally and professionally fulfilled by their work here and encourage them to pursue scholarship and research at levels we’ve never seen before? How do we leverage our assets with public and private partnerships to generate the revenues, the resources necessary to operate this institution? Fourth is how do we create the environment, the physical environment — from the aesthetic to the functional — that leads to optimum performance?”
Now the plan is to determine metrics to ensure success, Henderson said.
“When we develop those metrics, you’ll be able to look on our website and see how you can measure them over time,” he said. “Some of them are going to see demonstrable progress in short order. Some of them are going to be years long. And that’s the importance of an institution that’s been here for 130 years. You have to be able to think short term and deal with challenges, but you also have to address the chronic and the emerging challenges.”
Solving those challenges and problems is something Henderson looks forward to and one of the reasons why he pursued the position as Tech president in the first place.
“What drew me to this job at Tech was the promise of this institution and its rich history,” Henderson said. “I’m following F.J. Taylor and Dan Reneau and Les Guice with 60-plus years of consistency in the president’s office. That lays the foundation for success. When you have those two things, reputation and such a sound foundation, it’s real. It’s concrete. It’s bedrock. That raises the possibilities, but it also raises the stakes. But if anything over this year, I’ve found that assumption about the condition here has only been affirmed ever as I’ve had conversations with faculty and staff around campus…We have a collective interest in the future.”
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