On Saturday, thousands of volunteers chipped in to revitalize eight public schools across Lafayette Parish.
The schools that were renovated are:
Acadian Middle School
Alice N. Boucher Elementary School
Carencro Heights Elementary School
Carencro High School
J.W. Faulk Elementary School
Lafayette Middle School
LeRosen Prepatory School
Northside High School
The event was originally scheduled for July 13, but had to be pushed back because of Tropical Storm Barry.
Love Our Schools happens every year and is a cause that aims to better children's education and environment.
The event got started in the summer of 2017 and has grown since then to involve thousands of members of the community coming together to help our youth.
The Lafayette Parish School System, Love Acadiana, and the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation partner in hosting the event.
Saturday's event boasted 3,000 volunteers making a difference.
Members of the KATC team were among them, volunteering at J.W. Faulk Elementary school.
Renovations ranged from landscaping, installing new picnic tables, painting doors, building decks, and more.
Volunteers also distributed backpacks filled with school supplies to nearly 5,000 students. Teachers and staff were gifted with much needed supplies.
300 of the 3,000 volunteers were at Northside High School; several of them were alumni.
"People wanted to give back, and I'm so happy Northside was on the list," said Tonya Bolden-Ball.
Bolden-Ball graduated from Northside in the 90s. She said it is her top priority to give back to her school.
"I'm always doing something because that's a promise I made to myself when I graduated college, to continue to give back to Northside...I'm just happy to see so many people, because communities have to take ownership of the schools."
Her classmate Tehmi Chaisson was enthusiastic to see his old school being restored.
"It's the most amazing thing ever. It's 'I'm a mom,' or 'I went here,' it's just everybody giving back right now, Chaisson said.
Northside High's boys and girls locker rooms have both gotten a new floor and new lockers. Chaisson said seeing the locker room being transformed is moving.
"I got teased because my buddy is like, 'Are you tearing up right now?' and I'm like 'Man, you don't understand!'" he added.
While some may simply see a new floor or a fresh coat of paint, the volunteers see a bigger picture.
"Walking to to my campus, a year later, I remember how it was when I left, and wow, I'm walking into something new and something better...it's going to have a positive academic connection for them," said Bolden-Ball.
The Love Our Schools initiative "aims to help foster improved educational outcomes," according to the event's website.
The following photos show some of the renovations and volunteers at each of the eight schools. All photos are courtesy of Love Our Schools.
Before and after of repainted doors at Acadian Middle School.
Volunteers painting at Alice N. Boucher Elementary School
Volunteers repainting the cafeteria wall at Carencro Heights Elementary School
Students working hard at Carencro High School
The new deck being built at Carencro High School
Doors repainted bright red at J.W. Faulk Elementary School
Volunteers assembling picnic tables at J.W. Faulk Elementary School
Volunteers at Lafayette Middle School
Volunteers working hard at LeRosen Prepatory School
Volunteers painting a mural at Northside High School
A new basketball goal at one school
Volunteers off to deliver new backpacks full of school supplies!
The KATC crew helping out at J.W. Faulk Elementary (Photo from KATC)
Just some of the 3,000 volunteers that showed up for Love Our Schools 2019!
