January 2023 | Issue
News from The Rapides Foundation
BEYOND GRADUATION PREPARES STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS
The Beyond Graduation project is designed to ease a student's transition from high school to a local two- or four-year university or technical community college. The Rapides Foundation partnered with Career Compass of Louisiana to design and develop the Beyond Graduation project, and it is funded by a grant from the Foundation.

Beyond Graduation coaches help students have a positive and successful college experience, and that includes keeping up with required paperwork and deadlines.

The Beyond Graduation project is being piloted in three parishes and has already impacted several hundred students. The project is in partnership with the public school districts, Central Louisiana Technical Community College, Northwestern State University, LSU of Alexandria and Bossier Parish Community College's Natchitoches campus. The Rapides Foundation plans to expand the project to all nine school districts in the Foundation's service area depending on the success of the pilot.

In this story, we spotlight three students who began working with their Beyond Graduation college coaches in 2022. Click the button below to read their stories.
2022 CLIP GRADUATES BEGIN TEACHING CAREERS
Ten individuals began their careers as middle school math and science teachers in the fall of 2022 after graduating from the Central Louisiana Instructional Partnership, a paid teacher residency program administered by The Orchard Foundation. They were recognized at a graduation and pinning ceremony at Northwestern State University in December.

The goal of the CLIP project is to improve student achievement in nine rural, high-needs school districts in Central Louisiana by preparing highly qualified educators to teach in the critical shortage areas of science and math. CLIP is funded by a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Quality Partnership Program, plus $8 million in-kind matched funding from project partners.

Click the button below to see the list of 2022 CLIP graduates.
KICK OFF A HEALTHIER 2023 WITH OUR MONTHLY CHALLENGE CALENDARS
Have you seen the Get Healthy Cenla Challenge Calendar? The monthly calendar is filled with daily challenges designed to encourage people to improve their nutrition and physical activity. Click the button below to download the February calendar.

The challenges are prepared by trained staff in the CMAP Healthy Lifestyle Program and are designed to be simple and realistic. If you find the challenges too easy, try doubling the amounts. If they are too hard, don't worry. Do what you can and have fun!

The Healthy Lifestyle Program offers free one-on-one nutrition and physical activity counseling from a registered dietitian and exercise specialist. The program has helped residents lose weight, control diabetes and blood pressure, and improve their overall physical health.

To join the free Healthy Lifestyle Program, you have to be a Central Louisiana resident and be referred by your doctor. Not sure how to get a doctor's referral? Ready to commit to a lifestyle change? Call 318-767-3019 or visit the Healthy Lifestyle Program website by clicking HERE.
The Rapides Foundation | www.rapidesfoundation.org