Author: Emily Gautreaux

Louisiana High School Students Offered More Options

Students across Louisiana will soon be able to acquire different skills across various STEM careers, earning college credits along the way. Louisiana Believes tells us more with New Stem-Focused Jump Start Pathways to Provide High Schools with Advanced Skills, College and Career Credentials.

The four new programs are a part of Louisiana’s Jump Start pathways and can earn college credits at Louisiana State University or Xavier University. One of the four has already been approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). The other three have been approved by a BESE subcommittee and only have to be approved by the full board before going into effect.

Jump Start was created by the state of Louisiana to provide high school students with career and technical skills to move into high-demand STEM jobs. The STEM pathway consists of Carnegie credits throughout the STEM field and technical education that could lead to statewide credentials. The four new programs are: Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy, LSU Biomedical Sciences, LSU Computing, and National Integrated Cyber Education Research Cyber Security.

The Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy program was approved by BESE in June. It combines components from both natural sciences and industry practice. The teaching and schooling is to prepare that take this pathway through discussing pharmacy in the classroom and career experience.

  1. The LSU Biomedical Sciences track delves into the world of biomedicine. The pathway spotlights biomedicine to animals and humans. It will give an excellent foundation for students that are aiming for success along the medical track or any other science related field.
  2. The LSU Computing Certification Pathway consists of computer science, computational thinking, and computational science. This pathway is for students that want to find a career in computing.
  3. The National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center Cyber Security track consists of computer science, engineering, and mathematics. The program involves hands on learning and the exchange of knowledge with professionals in a given field. Students evaluate the ins and outs of privacy and security when a lot of communication and interaction is shifting online. They will also study the ethical side of advancement in robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous devices.

Students that complete one of the given pathways will also receive a STEM endorsement on their high school diplomas.

The pathways were created by different groups throughout the region last year. They were submitted by the Jump Start Graduation Pathway Review in the spring. The panel is made of members from the Louisiana Economic Development, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and the Louisiana Department of Education. Once BESE approves, the pathways are adapted and adopted by Jump Start regional teams.

The Xavier University Pre-Pharmacy Pathway being implemented at the St. John the Baptist Parish STEM Magnet High School. This will make the program the third pathway at the school.

Careers across various STEM fields are the fastest growing not only in the state, but also in the nation. More than half of Louisiana students express an interest in the STEM field, but only ten percent meet the benchmark in showcasing readiness for collegiate level math and science. To counteract this, Louisiana wants to give students the option to experience STEM coursework. They are hoping the four programs assist them in reaching that goal.

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The Perfect Beef Stew for Fall

Fall is coming! This means it is time to dive into all of those warmer recipes for the cooler weather. Delish has the perfect Beef Stew recipe, and the best part? This meal is easily freezable! Make a batch and freeze it for the future when you just don’t have time to cook. All you have to do is reheat it in a large pot and serve.

INGREDIENTS

KITCHEN TOOLS

  • Large dutch oven or large pot
  • A plate

The first step for this wonderful beef stew is to prepare the pot or dutch oven you are going to use. Place the pot on the burner and turn the heat up to medium; heat the vegetable oil. This is when the beef should be cooked. Place the beef in the pot, working in batches if the amount it too much to fit at the bottom of the pot. The beef needs to be cooked on all sides, making sure it is seared. Once the beef is done cooking, place it on a separate plate. Continue to do this until all of the beef is cooked.

Using the same pot as before, add the onions, carrots and celery. This needs to be cooked until it each ingredient is soft, it will take about 5 minutes. Season the pot with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt. Once the vegetables are soft, add the tomato paste and garlic. This will need to be cooked until the tomato paste darkens and you can really smell the garlic. This will take about 2 minutes.

The next step is to add the beef back into the pot. Once placing the beef in, add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Raise the heat on the burner to bring the ingredients to a boil. Once it begins to boil, bring the heat back down to a simmer. Season the ingredients again with the freshly ground black pepper and the kosher salt. Cover the pot or dutch oven and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, making sure to check that the beef is tender.

Once the 30 minutes are up and you have checked to make sure the beef is tender, add the potatoes. Continue to let it simmer while the potatoes cook and make sure to cover the pot/dutch oven. They need to be tender; this will take about 15 minutes. Always make sure to check the tenderness by inserting a fork into the potato and seeing how easily it goes in.

Once the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaves that were put in earlier. This is when the peas should be added. The purpose is to just heat them up since they are frozen. It should only take about 2 minutes for the peas to heat up. Once the 2 minutes are up, remove the stew from heat and serve in soup bowls. Make sure to garnish the stew with parsley before you serve it!

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Nicholls Educator Participates in new World Class Professor Program

Nicholls State University biology professor Dr. Raj Boopathy was chosen to visit Indonesia as a part of the Indonesian government’s relatively new World Class Professor program. Nicholls news gives us more information, check out the article here. The World Class Professor program, also known as WCP, is a program that is funded by the Indonesian government. This research project aims to help institutions cooperate together by strengthening and promoting research on a global level. The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education wanted to promote a global satellite research center.

Only ten World Class Professorships are awarded each year. The Indonesian government bases its program recipient decisions in publication and research output in addition to a strong, consistent publication record. Dr. Boopathy’s works have been cited over 7000 times internationally.

Dr. Boopathy will travel to Indonesia to visit the Institute of Technology, Bandung for two weeks. He will discuss his research in environmental biotechnology on the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment, biodegradation and bioremediation of hazardous chemicals, biofuel production and biological treatment of wastewater.

He will also talk to students on how to write and publish scientific papers.

Not only will Dr. Boopathy travel to Indonesia to discuss his research, a professor from the Institute of Technology, Bandung will travel to Louisiana in October to shadow Dr. Boopathy. The professor from the Institute of Technology, Bandung will study Dr. Boopathy’s process in collecting data and publishing research in the most notable scientific journals in the world.

This is not the first award or honor Dr. Boopathy has received. He is also a Fulbright Specialist. The Fulbright Specialist Program sends faculty and professionals from the United States to academic institutions worldwide to consult on curriculum, faculty development, and institutional planning. Dr. Boopathy has been the recipient of three Fulbright awards since 2007. The last place to request his services was Malaysia- who was aiming to curb the country’s pollution. Malaysia has been struggling from air pollution for close to twenty years. Dr. Boopathy visited the country right before Nicholls’ Spring 2019 semester began.

Last year Dr. Boopathy was the keynote speaker at the 13th Asian Biohydrogen and Biorefinery Symposium in Zhengzhou, China. It was here that he gave a speech on his research in the area of bioethanol production from sugarcane waste for energy use. The research is based on the idea of extracting sugar from agricultural waste that would typically be burned during a given season. The symposium had approximately 400 attendees from 28 countries share their research into bioenergy.

Dr. Raj Boopathy is a 2008 recipient of the Nicholls State University Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence. He is also considered an Alcee Fortier Distinguished Professor at Nicholls- an honorary title given to showcase academic excellence. He has published 167 papers in various peer-reviewed journals, 17 book chapters, and has edited a book.

“It is a big honor to be selected as a World Class Professor,” he said. “This says that Nicholls accommodates professors with high research output, and Nicholls always encourages the scholarly work of its professors.”

For more education related information, click here.

Things to Do in Alexandria, Louisiana

If you happen to travel down to the south bank of the Red River, the journey would end almost directly in the center of Louisiana. The ninth-largest city in the state, Alexandria, will welcome you with open arms. With a history that dates back to the traders and merchants in the mid- to late- 1700’s, Alexandria is one of the oldest settlements in Louisiana. Starting in the early 1800s, the city became a hub for transportation, trading, and agriculture.

Today, the city calls itself home to almost 50,000 people and the college campus of Louisiana State University at Alexandria. There are small bayous trickled throughout the city, surviving easily in the humid subtropical climate. With a unique history and dedication to preserving central Louisiana culture, Alexandria is a now a hub for education and learning.

Alexandria Zoological Park

Opened to the public in 1926, the Alexandria Zoological Park is owned by the city of Alexandria. The zoo, which originally started out as a row of cages in Brighurst Park, is currently made up of 33 acres of land. It is also presently home to approximately 500 animals.  The home to over 35 threatened and endangered species, the Alexandria Zoo supports both Louisiana-based and global conservation efforts. The Alexandria Zoological Park states that their mission is “to promote understanding and conservation of the natural world in which we live.”

Alexandria Museum of Art

The Alexandria Museum of Art boasts a collection spanning from ceramics to photography to watercolors. Founded in 1977, the museum has spent the last forty years using educational programs and interesting exhibits to not only promote art, but also further the understanding and appreciation of it. The museum holds over 800 works of art in its permanent collection and also calls itself a temporary home to travelling exhibits. The museum itself is located in the Rapides Band and Trust Company Building. The building was completed in 1898 and is in the National Register of Historic Places as of May 15, 1980.

Louisiana History Museum

The Louisiana History Museum collects items important to the history of both Alexandria and the state of Louisiana. The first pieces of the museum’s collection were gathered around the 1970s to preserve the history of the state, but also show the beginnings of central Louisiana. The collection began as display cases in th eAlexandria Genealogical Library to more than 50 displays and exhibits of the Alexandria Public Library. The museum is home to thousands of photographs taken in central Louisiana, some dating back as far as the 1860s. The museum states that they have over 700 photos from the 1860s to the 1960s.

The building the museum and genealogical are located in began as the Alexandria Public Library in 1907. S.S. Bryan matched a $10 thousand grant from Andrew Carnegie to build a library under the stipulation that the city provide a site and maintenance forever. In 1971, the Alexandria City Council declared the building the Alexandria Historical and Genealogical Library and Museum.

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Europe’s Beaches To Consider Visiting

Europe’s beaches offer scenes of postcards. While it  may be a small continent,  the history of it spans centuries and is as vast and colorful as they come. It has inspired stories such as the one of Atlantis and is home to some of the most notable civilizations known to man- the Ancient Greeks and Romans were all located in the area. Home to 28 countries, European culture is not the same across the country lines.

One of the most beautiful parts of traveling throughout Europe is easily the some of the most gorgeous beaches that you could possibly visit. National Geographic documented 20 of the most beautiful (and not tourist filled) beaches in Europe. Here are our top 6.

Lugo, Galicia, Spain

Praia das Catedrais, or “Cathedral’s Beach”, is located in Lugo, Galacia along the northwestern corner of Spain. The official title of the beach is Praia de Augas Santas,meaning Beach of the Holy Waters.

The beach is a completely natural monument, getting its shape from the crashing of the waves from the Atlantic Ocean. The is not visible during high tide, but shows its beauty once the water recedes. The beach gets its name from the Gothic, cathedral-esque quartzite and slate rocks that have been shaped by the Cantabrian Sea.

Corsica, France

Corsica is almost located directly in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. The island boasts a diverse coastline with beaches and mountains alike. The various plant life along the beach bloom at different times throughout the year, continuously creating a gorgeous and breathtaking environment year round.

Cyclades, Greece

The Cyclades is a collection of 39 Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, although only 24 are inhabited. When visiting the Cyclades, you will quickly realize that no two beaches are the same. The most famous Cyclades beaches are located in Mykonos, Paros, and Naxos. They boast not only sunbeds, taverns, and watersports, but also a size that still has a secluded area far away from the business of travel. The beaches in amorgos and Folegandros, however, are the opposite. The beaches there are prime for taking a step back, relaxing, and enjoying the weather in Greece.

Sark, Channel Islands

Sark is located just off the coast of Normandy, France. No cars are allowed on the island, keeping the sounds of nature as the soundtrack to the small island. Sark calls itself home to La Grande Grève, the largest beach located in the Channel Islands. The beach is hidden down a bath on the peninsula of the island referred to as Little Stark.

Vik, Iceland

Vik is a secluded little seafront village in Southern Iceland with a population of about 300. There are numerous Icelandic legends surround the black basalt columns at Reynisfjara Beach.That same black sand is shown in Game of Thrones, making a cameo in the scenes shot North of the Wall.

Sintra, Portugal

Sintra is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal. The city used to be the residence for numerous aristocrats and royalty in the country. Located just an hour away from Lisbon, Sintra is a glamorous location to take a break from the city. Bear Beach is near Cape Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe. There is a clear and direct view of the Atlantic Ocean, incomparable to any other.

For more travel related news and information, click here.

 

 

Butternut Squash-Apricot Chicken Noodle Curry

Pasta and chicken makes the perfect combination for this Butternut Squash-Apricot Chicken Noodle Curry posted by Country Living. Pretty soon it will be warm enough for soup, but until then, this pasta dish will work wonderfully. Creamy and filling, this dish will for sure be a crowd pleaser. The presentation will look like it took hours to prepare, when in fact, it will only take about an hour to make. Carbs and protein make a pretty balanced meal.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Curry

To begin the chicken noodle curry you’ll need a dutch oven or large part to start.

The first step is to cook the noodles. Make sure to follow the packaging directions because this is the base of the recipe and the noodles need to be cooked perfectly. Double check that you are buying rice noodles. The next step is to season the chicken. Take the freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, seasoning the chicken on both sides.

Place the Dutch oven or large pot on the burner with the heat on medium-high. Heat the oil in the pan and add the chicken. Once the chicken is added to the pot/oven add the onion and garlic. This will need to be cooked for about 7 to 9 minutes, making sure to stir it occasionally . Once it is browned add the chili powder, cinnamon and curry powder. This will need to be stirred constantly for about 1 minute.

After stirring, add the chickpeas, apricots, and chicken stock. This needs to be brought to a boil. Once the stock begins to boil, reduce the heat. It needs to be set on low to allow the ingredients to simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir the ingredients occasionally. Once the 20 minutes is up add the butternut squash. Cook for about 8 to10 minutes. This is to allow the soup to thicken and allow the butternut squash time to soften up.

After the 8-10 minutes, add the coconut milk into the soup, Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, remove the pot or oven from the heat. Once you place the pot/oven down, add the lime juice and scallions. Stir during this process so everything mixes equally. Season the soup with more freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt.

Take the noodles that were cooked earlier and serve them in bowls. Pour the soup over the rice noodles. The last step is the use the cilantro to garnish the pasta.

This recipe serves about 8 people.

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