St. Charles Herald Guide

The library will celebrate its 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge August 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the East Regional Library in Destrehan. The event will include a puppet show, craft and sweet treat. The event is open to those who completed the challenge and those just starting the challenge. Lauren Campo Pitz, assistant director at the library, said the event will feature a short award ceremony for the kids who completed the challenge.

Mendi LeBoeuf with then-HHS senior Mariah Mott on Mott's signing day. During her middle school and high school days in Texas, it became clear for Mendi LeBoeuf what she wanted to pursue for a career. “I had some really impactful coaches in middle school and high school … I had a really good volleyball coach who helped grow my love for the sport and impacted my life in more ways than volleyball alone.

Sammi Caillouet has always loved reading, and it’s what made teaching English a natural fit – “to get paid to talk about literature with kids, I’d have done it for free if I didn’t have to pay bills,” she quipped. Caillouet taught English for nearly 25 years, the final 11 of those at Harry Hurst Middle School.

Juvon Gales said teaching is more than a job. “I believe what I do every day is my mission, not my job,” he said. Gales is a special education teacher who teaches English language arts to students in sixth through eighth grades at R.K. Smith Middle School. He is also the school’s head football coach, head track coach and a wrestling coach. A lifelong St. Charles Parish resident, Gales attended Luling Elementary School and R.K. Smith Middle School and graduated from Hahnville High School in 2013.

For Vanessa Gullage Pierre, some of the most meaningful moments in teaching happen when a young child suddenly understands something new. She calls it the “aha” moment — the instant a child’s face lights up after mastering a skill, making a connection or reaching a developmental milestone. After 36 years in education, those moments continue to motivate Pierre in her work as a pre-k 3 instructor at G.W. Carver Early Learning Center in Hahnville.

For Logan Dicharry, becoming a special education teacher was not part of a carefully mapped-out career plan. Instead, it began with a colleague who recognized a strength in her that she had not yet seen in herself. While completing her teacher residency, Dicharry worked with students in a variety of classrooms. A colleague noticed how naturally she connected with special education students and encouraged her to consider pursuing that area of teaching.

• 150 West Heather Drive in Luling sold for $275,000 by Alexis and Matthew Sumpter to Brandon Dematteo. • 50 Belle Grove Drive in Destrehan sold for $155,000 by Kenneth and Ryan Brister to Raleigh and Brian Poche. • 316 Pine Street in Norco sold for $215,000 by Emily Matherne to Scott Eagan and Breanna Gussoni. • 631 Oak Street in St. Rose old for $205,000 by Joanna Holland to Mason Mollere. • 204 Lac Segnette Drive in Luling sold for $435,000 Letitia Scott to Bradley Baillio.

Suspects are innocent until proved guilty in a court of law Arrests • Sara Foucha, 21, was arrested July 27 in Luling and charged with domestic abuse battery. • Ezekiel Porter, 21, was arrested July 22 in Destrehan and charged with monetary instrument abuse. • Roosevelt Ingram, 47, was arrested July 21 in Luling and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driver must be licensed. • Charles Henderson, 19, was arrested July 21 in Des Allemands and charged with identity theft.

Malachi Dabney of Destrehan stiff-arms a defender. A hungry Destrehan team will soon take the field, and it will waste no time diving headfirst into strong competition. The Fighting Wildcats will see back-to-back marquee games to begin the season against St. Paul’s and St. Augustine, respectively, as Destrehan looks to prepare itself for runs in district and state playoff action.

Shelly Naquin awaits students outside of her classroom on the first day of school. After nearly three decades in the classroom, Shelly Naquin still finds the greatest joy in watching a student’s face light up when a difficult concept finally clicks. The fourth-grade math and science teacher has been part of the Norco Elementary School family for 27 years. Prior to that, she began her teaching career in Beauregard Parish in 1996 before returning to teach in her hometown of Norco.