The Lion's Roundtable (Guest: Bridget LaBorde)
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Todd Delaney:Discussing topics of interest to the university, Hammond and the surrounding communities. This is the Lions Roundtable. Now, here's your host, Doctor. Amber Narrow.
Dr. Amber Narro:Good day. Good day. This is Amber Narrow on KSLUs ninety point nine FM, the Lion. I am here with the Lions Roundtable and I have my friend Bridget LaBorde with me. She is with North Shore Technical Community College and she says she has some great news for me today.
Bridget LaBorde:So, I'm excited to hear. Off the press.
Dr. Amber Narro:Absolutely. Wonderful. Welcome, Bridget. So glad to have you. Thank so
Bridget LaBorde:much for having me back. Absolutely. It's been a minute because life has happened over the last couple of months. So, I'm happy to be back and to be here in.
Dr. Amber Narro:D Vicars. Indeed. Indeed. We are feeding live to KSLU this morning from D Vickers Studio, the Robin Roberts Studio in D Vickers Hall. Very excited to have this and everybody who comes in is just amazed with the new car smell.
Dr. Amber Narro:It is just absolutely wonderful.
Bridget LaBorde:And there is a new definitely a new car smell in building.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. Indeed. And Bridget, this is Bridget's first time kind of back in this area. She's been with me through North Shore Broadcasting and now that we've moved the show back over to KSLU, kind of renamed it, gave it a fresh little spin here because we are on the Lion and now that we're we're the Lions Roundtable. So, very cool.
Bridget LaBorde:I don't know that I knew that. So, 90.9, the lion.
Dr. Amber Narro:There you go. And that kind of changed, I would say, maybe about two years ago, three years ago or so. When the the when KSOU kind of went into it moved out of D Vickers from Hurricane Ida. Yep. Moved over to the university center.
Dr. Amber Narro:We're we're very focused on our athletics programming here in in making sure that we share all the information that our athletes do but also things that are going on at Southeastern, the community, the whole nine yards and it just gave it a nice little brand because we're the Lions.
Bridget LaBorde:Nation station. That's it. We're the
Dr. Amber Narro:Lion Nation station, baby. I love it. I'm going to start saying that. The Lion Nation station. I like it.
Bridget LaBorde:You're Lion Nation Station. That's it. I mean, that rolls off the tongue very well, right?
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. I'm going to start making sure that I say that on our on our on our podcasts and all of our shows. So, very good. Alright. So, Bridget, North Shore Technical Community College, we've talked about in the last several months, and I just kinda wanna, summarize for those of you who haven't, listened to the show before on a different station or through KSLU before when you've been here, that North Shore Technical Community College is making some great strides locally on workforce as well as ensuring that people are truly changing their lives by getting just a little bit of extra education, credentialing that allows them to get on the job and truly change their family for generations to come.
Bridget LaBorde:Absolutely. I mean, North Shore Technical Community College, you know, is the technical community college on the North Shore for all the five parishes on the North Shore that we serve and beyond, and it does provide individuals the opportunity to jump right out of high school, right into a community college where its classes are smaller, if they are interested in entering the trades, whether it be HVAC or welding or automotive or practical nursing, IT, culinary, those are the things individuals can come in and earn a year and a half technical diploma or a two year associate's degree and go right into the workforce. And then on the workforce development side, which is where what I oversee, it's more short term credentials. Right? You know, hey.
Bridget LaBorde:They may not wanna go to the community college or the four year university route, but they know they need some sort of skill, you know, to to to land that career. It could be a four hour forklift operator certification. It could be a fourteen week heavy equipment operator certification or a CNA, which is certified nurse assistant, which is a six week certification. And that's just to name just a very few of these So excuse me.
Dr. Amber Narro:Thank you very much. Four hours of a commitment for me and I could probably double my my hourly pay.
Bridget LaBorde:Yeah. If not triple or quadruple. Yeah. Because earning that forklift operator certification allows you to work at Walmart distribution. Hey, Latrum, Intralox.
Bridget LaBorde:I mean, are the big, you know, the big hitters here, you know, in Tangipahoa Parish. Even, S and W wholesale, they need forklift operators. And I'm just gonna call it
Dr. Amber Narro:what it is. Right? I'm a call these these educational certifications what they are. It's gateway education, right? Yes.
Dr. Amber Narro:And what I'm saying by that, you know, you get a little taste of it and then you're like, hey. Oh yeah. I could, this ain't so bad. I could do this. And before you know it, the people who are saying, well, I don't really wanna go to four year university.
Dr. Amber Narro:They're going, I think I can do a four year university and then they come see us.
Bridget LaBorde:Absolutely. So it certainly is that first ring in the career ladder. Yeah. Right? And and And a lot of times, you know, to be honest, we've seen individuals who have been out of school for for quite some time, you know, worked, just just went to work at Walmart or maybe went to work down at the plants,
Dr. Amber Narro:you
Bridget LaBorde:know, working, you know, maybe as a secretary somewhere, but had no formal education, came into one of our short term trainings. Let's let's pick on CNA, certified nurse assistant, come into that six week training because they've always wanted to be in healthcare. They had that dream of being a nurse, right? Calling. Oh, So they come in that six week, sometimes four weeks CNA training, And what does that do?
Bridget LaBorde:That builds their confidence. Indeed. That builds their just their courage to take the next step. They're like, wait a minute. I did this?
Bridget LaBorde:I can go on to do what's next. So absolutely. And that that's the joy of what we do on the short term work. One of the joys that we do on this or see on the short term workforce side is that those individuals come through our programs, get the courage to step up to the next ring on that career ladder and say, North Shore, what is next? Right?
Bridget LaBorde:And then some of those we see, you know, that they wanted that short term forklift operator training certification, that gets them into the door, maybe at Interlocks or or Walmart distribution, and then they see what's next. Right? Because they're an amazing forklift operator. They're dedicated. They're there all the time.
Bridget LaBorde:You know, they they are being attentive. They're hitting all of their their marks, and the the supervisor begins talking to them about another opportunity.
Dr. Amber Narro:It's interesting that you say that. You know, this morning, I was talking to one of the organizational leadership here on campus from one of our student organizations. So, she called me and she was asking me some questions. She's, you know, they're holding their election on Monday and you know, they've only got a couple of people who are running for things and you know, they're they've got a a growing organization because we have never seen the engagement that we've seen this semester on campus. Mean, these students are coming out of the woodworks.
Dr. Amber Narro:They are so excited to I be know it's crazy. But and we are loving it. So we're trying to make sure that we put in, you know, mechanisms to hang on to them so they have a good experience when they come. So one of my, students called me and she was talking about the election and I said, you know what? Some people are scared to run for things because they don't wanna lose, so let's do some volunteer things, you know, and do some co chairs and some things.
Dr. Amber Narro:Just give them a little bit of success so that the next time that it's time to run, they go, that one's so bad. Now I've got experience to bring to the table. And I think if you just give people just a little bit of success and you give them that confidence that you're talking about just a second ago, that it leads them to the next thing. Then they get that they get that hunger for a little bit more. That's why I'm saying that this forklift thing could be a gateway education.
Dr. Amber Narro:Absolutely. For these for these individuals.
Bridget LaBorde:Absolutely. And and we and we see it time and time again, you know. You know, we had a student that came through our heavy equipment operator program. I've I've shared this story with you before where, you know, the only thing he ever completed was a jail sentence. You know, when he came into our heavy equipment operator program, he finished.
Bridget LaBorde:He started working for a construction company. He came back to us last well, I mean, this summer in our marine service tech program because he he's like, you know what? I wanna expand my knowledge, expand my skill into a whole another industry.
Dr. Amber Narro:Because he learned that it's easier to go to school Yep. Than it easy than it is to try to look over your shoulder constantly. Right. Right? Easier to go to school and earn a living and change his family's life Yep.
Dr. Amber Narro:Than it is for him to look behind him.
Bridget LaBorde:So but he thinks Go forward. Go backwards. So you're talking about changing the trajectory of your family. Yeah. Well, guess what?
Bridget LaBorde:His son graduated from high school. He always did. Graduated from high school and he enrolled in our heavy equipment operator program.
Dr. Amber Narro:Because he set the bar.
Bridget LaBorde:Yes, he did.
Dr. Amber Narro:And it was time for all of his family members to meet that bar. Yep. I love that.
Bridget LaBorde:So, I mean, it it's so heartwarming and so gratifying Yeah. To know that we play a part in that.
Dr. Amber Narro:I mean, it's just incredible. Indeed and all we're doing is opening the door. Yeah. Absolutely. All that you have to do is go through it.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's it. Yep. I mean, what kind of is there a price tag for
Bridget LaBorde:the forklift certifications? Yeah. $75. Right. I mean, very minimal to earn this
Dr. Amber Narro:75 And in your first paycheck, you've earned way
Bridget LaBorde:more than that. Yes. Absolutely.
Dr. Amber Narro:Get
Bridget LaBorde:it There's companies that are looking for individuals who have that certification. They may not have the experience, you know, the hours on that forklift, but companies are willing to train them on the do on the job training once they have that certification because they have the base knowledge and the base skills.
Dr. Amber Narro:Wonderful, I love that.
Bridget LaBorde:Yeah, so it's cool. As That's a matter of fact, tomorrow at our Hammond campus we have Super Skills Saturday where we're offering forklift operator certification. We're offering CPR because a lot of health care providers need that CPR certification, and individuals in our community desire that certification whether it's grandparents keeping grandchildren, new parents, you know, need CPR certification. So we're offering that tomorrow. We had two other classes that we didn't reach enrollment, so don't reach enrollment, we can't hold the classes, but we'll offer them again, and that's de escalation training, CPI, and Google AI essentials.
Bridget LaBorde:So those are some that some sort of generative AI, I'm sorry, some certifications that you will see as a regular offering on super skill Saturdays around the North Shore.
Dr. Amber Narro:Love that. Yep. I wanna come to some of those. You know, I just have the secret that I I wanna learn how to drive drive a forklift. So, I think I need to come and figure it out.
Dr. Amber Narro:$75? I feel like that's just that's that's fun time for You
Bridget LaBorde:don't have anything to do tomorrow, I can get you in the class. I'm like, know somebody. I know,
Dr. Amber Narro:right? I'm keeping my grandson. Speaking of grandsons. Yes. Noah's coming to hang out with me.
Dr. Amber Narro:I think we're going to try to go over to the Renaissance Fest tomorrow. So, I think that he's going
Bridget LaBorde:to love that. That's going to be wonderful.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. And
Bridget LaBorde:by the way. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:Speaking of which, Renaissance Fest, next four weekends, make sure you get your kiddos and people out there because that's a that's a fun event. Yes.
Bridget LaBorde:So, I think this weekend is Celtic Weekly because I was listening to the radio on the way here. And her TJ on Cajun talking to the folks from the Renaissance Fest and I think it's Celtic weekend. Yeah. Yeah. Very exciting.
Bridget LaBorde:So, go out to the Ren Ren Fest.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yep. We're gonna have a ball. Noah is not gonna know what hit him. We're gonna guess a turkey leg, man. I want a turkey leg and I just wanna walk around and let him watch the
Bridget LaBorde:whole too early because, you know, turkey makes you sleepy.
Dr. Amber Narro:Well, then I'll eat it on the way home so he take a nap.
Bridget LaBorde:That's right. And you take a nap.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. Alright. So, you teased me at the beginning of this.
Bridget LaBorde:I did.
Dr. Amber Narro:And said that you had some honor stuff for me and you know that's my secret.
Bridget LaBorde:It is.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's my love language.
Bridget LaBorde:It is. So, I could I I wanted to text you and tell you all about it but I'm like, no. No. No. No.
Bridget LaBorde:No. I'm a save it. It's a Friday morning. So, we made history last night at North Shore Technical. Go on.
Bridget LaBorde:Community College. With the induction of 33 individuals into the National Adult Education Honor Society. Go on. Okay. So you've just got a brand new society then.
Bridget LaBorde:We did. That's amazing. And it's for our adult education students. Those who come to our college who do not have a high school diploma, who are seeking that high school equivalency diploma. It's been two years that three of our adult education instructors have worked on the ability for our college to be a chapter in the National Adult Education Society.
Bridget LaBorde:So you might wonder, how does that work? Because typically with PTK PTK which is That's I
Dr. Amber Narro:Beta Kappa. That's the honor society for people who are in
Bridget LaBorde:So community it's based on grades, obviously. That's that's the main place. And then of course the honor society here, you know, at the university, that's one aspect is grades. Well, adult education students do not earn grades. Okay?
Bridget LaBorde:Okay. They work to achieve certain levels that would allow them to take their HiSET, which is the test of adult basic education to get their high school equivalency. So with the National Adult Education Society, these are the things that I learned, okay, about it because, you know, I This is new to me. This is So,
Dr. Amber Narro:yeah, this
Bridget LaBorde:is brand new. So, their website is naehs.org. So I went on there to learn about their mission because I got I had the privilege of speaking, being one of the speakers, you know, at the graduation or the induction ceremony last night. So basically, the mission of the National Adult Education Honor Society is to provide meaningful recognition to deserving adult education students, to improve student employment opportunities, to develop student ambassadors for local adult education programs, and to create adult education awareness with school administrators and state legislators. Oh.
Bridget LaBorde:This was created in 1991. The very, it's not very long ago. Yeah. But 1991, an adult education instructor organized the first induction ceremony and there was 17 adults in that induction. And then from that, it just grew and is thriving now and the actual benefits of being student selected and the way that they are selected is dependable attendance.
Bridget LaBorde:Is that a big thing for community college, a big thing for university and in the workplace attendance? So attendance is student selection is based on attendance, a cooperative attitude, and work ethic. All adult education students are eligible. They never pay dues. They never pay dues.
Bridget LaBorde:Their only obligation is to encourage family members and others to take advantage of the local adult education program and be an ambassador for adult education, which is encouraging those who don't have a high school diploma to enroll in adult education to earn that
Dr. Amber Narro:high So, you gotta do is talk.
Bridget LaBorde:All you have to do is talk about your experience, you know? Love it. So, the folks, so what I learned from our three pioneer adult education instructors who worked so hard for two years to make this happen is, and and and of course for our college, we've set we've set guidelines that those students have to have perfect attendance. Okay. Perfect attendance.
Bridget LaBorde:I like it. Okay. And they have to have progressed from when they first entered into the adult education program. They've had to work hard, they've had to progress a certain number of grade levels. And their attitude, are they coming in and being attentive or are they working with their team, with their group, you know, are they sole is their sole focus on reaching that mark which is earning their, high school equivalency diploma.
Bridget LaBorde:So with that, of course, last night, we talked about our RPTK, National Honor Society, because we told them, of course, you know, we want you to earn your high school equivalency diploma. And while you're earning it Keep going. We want yeah. Here it comes. While you're earning that, we're gonna give you an opportunity to enroll in our credit programs.
Bridget LaBorde:If they're interested in automotive, they're interested in drafting, if they're interested in nursing, you wanna give them that opportunity to dual enroll, okay, while they're in adult education, dual enroll with our classes, earn that high school equivalency diploma, or if they earn twelve hours on our side of the house, on the credit side, then that automatically qualifies them for a high school equivalency diploma. So, you know, get on a track. Hey, it might be Louisiana transfer degree that they get they get on that track because their ultimate goal is coming to a four year university. Indeed. So, here they go.
Bridget LaBorde:They're at can you see this? They're a National Adult Education Honor Society member. They're a PTK. And then we have something special
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah.
Bridget LaBorde:Between North Shore Technical Community College and Southeastern Louisiana University that I'll let you talk about. Indeed. Because what a beautiful story. Mhmm. National Adult Education Society
Dr. Amber Narro:Honor Society member, PTK member, and. Come over to Southeastern and we can take care of you with this MOU that comes from North Shore Technical Community College and Louisiana Technical Community College System. I So, yeah. Two years ago, when I actually first took this job, one of the things that Doctor. Wainwright said is I want memorandum of understanding between us and North Shore Technical Community College saying that we're gonna take students who have participated in honors programming into our honors program at Southeastern.
Dr. Amber Narro:Now, obviously, there are some there are some ways to get in when you get here, and it's GPA for the most part. Sure. Right? And they have to meet the qualifications to get into our program here at Southeastern, but we have had transfer students come over from NTCC, from LCTCS, and become very successful in our honors program, and I very excited to to say that and we have students who come from other universities and because of these MOUs that we have and understanding that students don't always finish where they start. That's right.
Dr. Amber Narro:Or they go on to complete more than what they finish. Yeah. After they're done. Yeah. Like from a community college, after they get their associate's degree, they're not done yet.
Dr. Amber Narro:They get that little taste. They get that little gateway education.
Bridget LaBorde:So so I we And talked come on in. We talked a little bit without you knowing all the information. We talked a little bit about that MOU. It's time to revise that MOU Yeah. To include this National Adult Education Honor Society.
Bridget LaBorde:I don't know exactly how many of the 12 community colleges within Louisiana's community and technical college system have honor societies, but not every college does. I know River Parishes Community College, you know, has a National Adult Education Honor Society, and now North Shore does. So, you know, I'm looking, hey. We can expand down and promote this to the River Parishes National Adult Education Honor Society. Let them know about this MOU because this MOU is with LCTCS.
Bridget LaBorde:And like you said, there are students who have come here to Southeastern from other technical community colleges, National Honor Society students, and they've come over here. You know? So this this is this expands that reach. Right? And and also provides that opportunity and that, encouragement to those adult education students that, hey, here's the pathway.
Bridget LaBorde:Right? Here's what's next with North Shore or here's what's next with River Parishes Community College, then here's what's next with Southeastern.
Dr. Amber Narro:I love that.
Bridget LaBorde:How beautiful is that? Indeed. You know, and then, you know, and I I'm all about, I try to always tell the story, right? And if we have an opportunity to invite a student to a graduation or to, you know, an information session that we're having about an event or a program or something, invite someone who's walked that path already. Right.
Bridget LaBorde:You know, who's blazed that trail, let them tell the story.
Dr. Amber Narro:You have to go and be almost a victim of your own success, right? Oh. You've got to go in and say, I am I'm taking these leaps and I am taking these these opportunities to really explore what I'm doing. Right here in Hammond, America, it is literally possible for you to go from no high school diploma to a nurse practitioner in this area. Absolutely.
Dr. Amber Narro:You know, you can go. Absolutely. All the way through. Yep. Every, you can go from no high school degree, always all the way up to PHD.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Here. Because because. In Hayman.
Bridget LaBorde:Because North Shore Technical Community College, Southeastern Louisiana University has made that possible. We have
Dr. Amber Narro:a doctor of nurse practitioner. We have a an EDD on this campus. We have opportunities for students to get into graduate school and get their master's degrees in several different opportunities. So it is we you can do it here in where you live. So it's an amazing opportunity.
Dr. Amber Narro:And some of these programs, if you're in if you have issues with transportation, we can work with you for online programming as well. So it is it is a fantastic opportunity for you to get your education and double, triple, quadruple, quintuple, tenfold in college.
Bridget LaBorde:Yeah. And it keeps going on and on. Yes. Right? Well, that's that's great that you brought up the online opportunity because adult education, we are about to roll out in an on online adult education programming.
Bridget LaBorde:Yes.
Dr. Amber Narro:Mhmm.
Bridget LaBorde:And of course, there's there's qualifications.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's a game changer.
Bridget LaBorde:It is. It is. And and those individuals will be will qualify for the honor society for adult education. But there's qualifications, you know, that must be met in order to be that student that takes online because we both know online's not for everyone. No.
Bridget LaBorde:It's not. Right? So that's for those who probably are scoring very high, and I don't know all of the qualifications, but there
Dr. Amber Narro:are some
Bridget LaBorde:qualifications. But we will be rolling that out, so stay tuned for that. But what a great opportunity to see a student where they start and where they're going and then when they get there, you know. Right. It's amazing.
Bridget LaBorde:It it is amazing. It is amazing. Like, last night, like I said, 33 individuals were there and they were all ages. I mean, there was they were not just 19 year old years old. There was probably someone there, you know, in their fifties.
Bridget LaBorde:You know, middle age and and there's still time to change your life? Yes. They and they and so what my message to them last night, I I could not wait to get up there and talk to them. You know, and I told them that they had they were part of history. We are making history right now, y'all, and you are a part of it.
Bridget LaBorde:How incredible is that that you were the first group of inductees into the National Adult Education Honor Society? I said, y'all, that means so much. And I told them, I said, let tonight care because they haven't earned their high set yet. They haven't earned their high school equivalency diploma yet. So I said, okay.
Bridget LaBorde:When days get hard, when it feels like you're not progressing as fast as you want, let tonight be a reminder of what you've done so far, and let that carry you into through to the end, you know, to earning that high set, the high school diploma? And, and then I I I told them, I said, you know, you can't change history. Right? History is there forever. No one can take history away.
Bridget LaBorde:So you guys have made history. You did this for yourself. I'm not talking about just making history for North Shore, but you made history for yourself. So that's always gonna be a part of you, and it's something positive and something great. Carry that with you.
Bridget LaBorde:You know? And then I look at to the left, you know, when I'm presenting to the family, and and I told them, I said, you know, thank you guys for being supportive, you know, of your family member and and and their their new venture. Right? And I told myself, I just wanna I just wanna let you guys know that these instructors because they were picked by their instructors, right, and had a recommendation by their instructors. I said these instructors didn't just put all the adult education students in her class name in a hat and close their eyes and pick a name out of the hat or pick five names out of the hat.
Bridget LaBorde:I want y'all to know that. They really worked hard for this, and they really deserve this honor that the instructors have given them. I love that.
Dr. Amber Narro:And that's part of it. Right? That's where the gateway comes in. You go in and you get that taste of success and you wanna move forward. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:And I hear a lot of people, fuss about things like online learning because what are they really learning and things like that. You get what you put into it. Yep. Right? And on the other side of it, I promise you and I tell my students this, you know, if you go into online education and you pour into it what your your professors and your instructors are expecting you to pour into it, you will get out of it what you need.
Bridget LaBorde:Oh, yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:But if you go in thinking that, you know, it's easier and that you're just gonna, you know, not not be a honest person when you're in your online sessions, it will reveal itself somewhere and this time and effort and money that you put into this class will be a waste for you. You know Because it will reveal itself on the other side when you don't know what
Bridget LaBorde:you So need to you know this, I am a product of Southeastern's online strategic communication, organization communication master's program. It is fully online and you are so right in saying that it is what you put into it because there's so much, oh my gosh, it's so filled with such quality instruction, quality practical skill building. I can't even remember. I've lost count how many certifications I earned through our Southeastern's online master's program. So to earn those certifications, you definitely have to do the work.
Bridget LaBorde:Mean, don't just come by click, click, click, click, click, and bam, you know, you've earned this certification. And then earning those, you're learning while you're earning those certifications. And again, it is what you you every every semester, it's a little bit harder, a little bit more work, and then it builds up, you know, to our our capstone. And if you didn't do the work in previous semesters and all the classes that you're you're not gonna do well on your capstone. So It will reveal itself.
Bridget LaBorde:Will. And that that is exactly the point I was gonna make. It it will reveal itself during that capstone project. And so that's the same thing like with our adult education online program. The ultimate goal is to be prepared to take that high school equivalency exam.
Bridget LaBorde:And I think I mentioned this before, years ago when it was the GED, because that's, GED is the test, right, that you take. When we say HiSET, that's the test that you take. So Louisiana has chosen to offer the HiSET test rather than the GED. When it was the GED, it was all the subjects in one test and it took you hours and it was quite overwhelming. So HiSET, each of the subject matter like English, it's one test you schedule.
Bridget LaBorde:You can schedule that on a Monday and then next Monday, you schedule your English test. The next Monday, you schedule your science test. You know? So that that meets the people right where they are.
Dr. Amber Narro:Love it.
Bridget LaBorde:Definitely meets them who wants to sit down and take you? I mean, high school kids are so scared of the ACT test, right? Because that's all the subjects, your timed, you know, it's such pressure, you know.
Dr. Amber Narro:I totally appreciate that. I I tell the story about taking my GRE when it was time to go into graduate school and I went and I took it. I think it was on Sherwood Forest or something in Baton Rouge. Yep. And it's this little tiny room and it was freezing cold and I can't remember.
Dr. Amber Narro:I I just remembered that was cold and I'm sitting there and I'm taking the test and about hour three, I can remember vividly just going, see,
Bridget LaBorde:see, see,
Dr. Amber Narro:I don't care if I get to graduate school. I don't care if I do anything with this. Just let me out of this room, I can't stand to be here anymore.
Bridget LaBorde:I totally that.
Dr. Amber Narro:Barely got what I needed on my score to get into graduate school because I was done, I was done. Yeah,
Bridget LaBorde:Yeah. So could you imagine someone who had such barriers?
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah.
Bridget LaBorde:You know, they had such barriers, things that they had to overcome once they dropped out of high school. That is, whew, that's heavy. And the pressure
Dr. Amber Narro:of failure or the pressure of
Bridget LaBorde:Never being able to really succeed in life. Indeed. Right? So imagine those individuals and many have done it. Congratulations to all who have who have sat and earned their high school equivalency when it was under the GED because they did it.
Bridget LaBorde:They sat there hours long. But how beautiful it is that we have a different mechanism now that allows them to take one subject at a time, and it is it's incredible to see the results. So I was talking to our adult education instructors last night. You know, the semester just started in August, and they are already almost I think they said, like, almost reached a 100 individuals already since August who have taken their HiSET and have passed. And, you know, and then they're telling stories.
Bridget LaBorde:The instructors are telling their stories. This is before the induction ceremony. And so, you know, I'm like, okay, y'all. I'm gonna have to go to the bathroom and redo eye makeup because, you know, tears because it's just so heartwarming to hear the stories of where they the students began and how they grow and how they progress and how they change and just make it to the point of being courageous to take that exam. We gotta go and you and I talk for
Dr. Amber Narro:a long time every time you come visit because we're so excited about this education, these changes in education locally but how many before we go, you have a statistic that always blows my mind. How many residents in Tainesville Parish do not have a high school diploma?
Bridget LaBorde:Those residents that are 18 and older, 18 and older, who do not have a high school diploma. 16,000. Right.
Dr. Amber Narro:And when you're talking about a parish that has a I've just looked on online. This is a Google number. So, don't don't trust me too too much on it. A 133,000 Yeah. Population.
Bridget LaBorde:And let me remind you,
Dr. Amber Narro:the 16,000 is based on data from 2023. Right. And that's I'm looking up at 2023 as well. Yeah. 133,000.
Bridget LaBorde:16,000.
Dr. Amber Narro:Residents. Eight. 16 who 16,000 who are 18 and older in this parish do not have an a high school diploma. Yeah. We are talking about changing not only these individual lives, but also our parish.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yes. If we get these individuals making livable wages. Yes. And making more money and getting their high school diploma and changing the expectation of their entire family. Yep.
Dr. Amber Narro:You are talking about changing this parish. Yes. When you do that.
Bridget LaBorde:Yeah. So, stand by on that because we've been having conversations. Let's go. About, you know, creating a task force, right? Not a committee because committees can sit around and meet forever but a task force, there's tasks to be done.
Bridget LaBorde:Let's roll. So, standby on that because we have to tackle it as a parish. We can't do it alone here at North Shore Technical Community College. We need everyone to partner with us. So, we're coming out there to you.
Bridget LaBorde:I'm coming. You know, and. Come and get me. Yeah. We're we're we're there.
Bridget LaBorde:So This is awesome.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yep. I love it. Thank you, Bridget.
Bridget LaBorde:Thank you, Amber. I've been
Dr. Amber Narro:sitting here talking to Bridget Laborde, and we could talk all day. So we're gonna let you go, but she's coming back to tell me about things that are happening at North Shore Technical Community College and share all of the activities and events and and opportunities for people in our parish to get their education, to increase their income, to change their family tree, to really make it generations deep. So, she's going to come back. She's going to come back probably about once a month or so. We're to chat with her and see what's new at North Shore Technical Community College because they roll.
Dr. Amber Narro:They don't do committees. They do task forces
Bridget LaBorde:over We do.
Dr. Amber Narro:I love it. I love it. I'm a start saying that. Yep. When I'm putting something together, I'm a go, this is a task force.
Dr. Amber Narro:This is not a committee.
Bridget LaBorde:That's
Dr. Amber Narro:I love it. Thanks, Bridget. Thank Amber. And thank you for listening here at the Lion ninety point nine FM. We are talking to Bridget Laborde, North Shore Technical Community College.
Dr. Amber Narro:We're gonna be doing these things on Thursdays and Fridays at 09:00 where we find out what's going on in your community at the Lions Roundtable. I'm Ambranero. Y'all have a great day.
Todd Delaney:Thank you for joining us today. If you missed any part of the show, you can listen to the Lions Roundtable on demand at our website, lionupradio.org. The podcast version is also available for download from Amazon, Google, Spotify, and TuneIn.
