Student from Kentwood, Louisiana Travel International

Damarious Ard

Kentwood, La- It seem like it was just yesterday that Damarious Ard graduated from Kentwood High School. Upon his graduation from Kentwood High School class of  2011, he knew that he wanted to attend a community college for culinary arts.

Damarious enrolled in Northshore Technical Community College in Hammond, La.,  He will be graduating with the class of 2016. Ard was determined to work and finish his  community college classes. It has been said that hard work will pay off.

He will travel to Portugal, Spain and Morocco, Africa.  Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Its oceanside influences lots of great tasting grilled dishes, music, and cultural experiences. Morocco, a North African country border in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Traveling with six other students and his culinary arts instructor. Ard will attend a cooking class in Madrid. The group will depart New Orleans this week. They'll be joined  by a group of eight people from Bilbao.

In Portugal, they will be immerse in Spanish culture. The group will taste a lot of delicious foods. There are over one hundred different types of cheese in Spain. To name a few; Gazacho, Salmorejo, Manchego, Croquetas. "We can't forget the Spanish Wine!' Now, that he is the legal age to taste some of the fine tasting wines that Spain has to offer I know he will enjoy.

Chef Ard preparing or Hors d'oeurves

Words can't express how proud I am of Damarious. When we first moved to Kentwood my son Bernard made friends with Damarious, Averi, Daniel, Roy, Anthony and Al.  Today they're all men and they are following their dreams.  They're very respectful young men that we can be proud of.

I got a chance to taste some of Chef Ard cooking at the political campaign for Tangiphaoa Parish President Robby Miller this past year. "You talk about finger licking good, oh boy!" everybody went back for seconds.

Thank you Damarious for sharing your dreams, goals and admiration for the culinary arts with me.  Please take plenty photographs to share with everyone at home. We would like to hear you speak about your trip and your career at the local libraries and Kentwood High School this coming fall.

I know you'll have so much to share and talk about. This is an awesome opportunity for you to experience traveling to other country. Its great to hear that you didn't allow others to persuade you not to go. Spread your wings and fly and like an eagle. Its a big world for you to explore, new people to meet, taste new foods. This is only the beginning for you and there are better things on the way.

Most importantly thank you for allowing me to be on of  your mentors. Traveling and learning his is part of your educational path that extends nationally and internationally.

Wishing you all the best!






Copyright © 2016 by Antoinette Harrell

Kentwood, Louisiana Celebrate Happy Earth Day

Kentwood Elected Officials and Town Employees
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Happy Earth day is a day to clean up and beautify your community.  We all should take part in taking care of our plant  by picking up trash and litter or perhaps plant flowers and trees. Kentwood residents met at the Kentwood Community Center ready to spruce up the town. After the residents were signed in, they were issued a plastic garbage bag, gloves, and tee shirts.

This year's Happy Earth day clean up was organized by Yolanda Callaghan a city employee for the Town of Kentwood.

Kentwood Mayor, Irma T. Gordon and several town council members joined in. Councilman Terrell Hookfin, Councilman Gary Callihan, and Councilwoman Irma Clines were there with their sleeves rolled up ready to work. Many of the town employees worked sided by side with the residents picking up litter.  Constable Lemmie Chapman III, is a strong voice in the Kentwood community picking up trash and litter on our streets and highways were there picking up trash as usually.

Constable Lemmie Chapman III
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

There has been 46 environmental victories since the first earth day.  The first earth day was on April 22, 1970. 20 million people across the United States took to the street to raise awareness about our environment. Today, Kentwood residents came out to be a  part of keeping our town clean. Several children joined the Happy Earth day clean up.

It's never to early to teach children not to be a litter bug. We should teach them not to throw candy and other snack wrappers on the ground, and in our beautiful lakes and ponds that could be harmful to the wildlife. Beside having a clean community make everyone who live in the community feel good about their community. One of the main issues that the constable pointed out is the number of tires they are picking up that is being discarded on the side of the highway and streets in our community. Please beware that if you are caught throwing litter, trash and tires on the streets and highway. You will receive a ticket and may have to do community hours picking up litter.