LIKE ALL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B SEIGLER FOUNDATION.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

WE MADE MISTAKES AND WE COMMITTED ERRORS.

THE HEAT ON LSU INTENSIFIES AS THE LIGHT EXPOSES A HIDDEN DARKNESS.

IT'S QUITE STRIKING WHEN YOU SEE ALMOST 10,000 FLAGS OUT THERE.

THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF COVID-19.

WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN ACT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

HOW THE STATE IS HANDLING STANDARDIZED TESTING.

I DID NOT ACCEPT -- AN OUT OF THIS WORLD TRIP AWAITS HAYLEY ARCENEAUX.

WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THOSE TOP HEADLINES IN A MOMENT.

ON THIS WEEK'S HE HAD ADDITION OF SWI.

ALL THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE CORONAVIRUS FRONT.

THE STATE IS REPORT, THE LOWEST COVID.

YES, THEY ARE.

TIGER STADIUM, EVEN OFFERING ONE THIS SUNDAY MARCH 14th HERE ARE THE COVID NUMBERS AS THEY STAND TODAY.

IT'S A YEAR INTO THIS PANDEMIC.

AND NOW WE WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER STORIES MAKING HELD LINES ACROSS THE STATE.

THE FIRST STEP OF WHAT COULD SOME DAY LEAD TO THE CREATION OF THE LOUISIANA SPACE CAMPUS HAPPENING THIS WEEK.

THE STATE AND THE ANY SCHAAD.

THE VISION IS A 50-ACRE PARK WITHIN THE SITE THAT WOULD TARGET COMMERCIAL OFFICE ELEMENT FOR EXISTING CLIENTS AND NEW PROSPECTS FROM THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ISSUED A DISASTER STATEMENT.

IT FREES UP FEDERAL MONEY TO HELP IN CERTAIN PARISHES.

THE WINTER STORMS NEW YORKED OUT POWER AND WATER IN LARGE AREAS.

23 PARISHES WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS FEDERAL MONEY, GRANTS, AND LOW-INTEREST LOANS.

LSU'S PRECOLLEGE ANNOUNCING ITS DECISION TO HOLD ON CAMPUS COURSES THIS SUMMER FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE STUDENTS SAFETY REMAINS THE TOP STORY BUT LSU SAYS IN DEPTH SAFETY GUIDELINES AND VACCINE DISTRIBUTION ARE MAJOR FACTORS IN THIS DECISION.

THE DOCUMENTARY BY DR. NATHAN RABALAIS CALLED "FINDING CAJUN" AIRED THIS WEEK ON LPS.

THE FILM CENTERS ON THE MUCH DEBATED TOPIC OF CAJUN IDENTITY.

THE WORD CAJUN IS THE ENGLISH DERIVATIVE OF THE FRENCH WORK ACADIEN.

HE TRANSFORMED A DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE.

HE DIED THIS WEEK FROM COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19.

HE WAS ONLY 65.

HE BECAME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BATON ROUGE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IN 1987.

AND STARTING FROM SCRATCH, DELIVERED A CITICORPS AND BEYOND NOW STUDIED AS A HOW-TO GOLD STANDARD.

HIS VISION EARNED HIM THE NICKNAME OF THE GODFATHER OF DOWN DOWN.

AND HIS SMILE AND FRIENDSHIP MADE ME A FAN FOR LIFE.

I CHRONICLED HIS WORK IN A 2013 SPECIAL REPORT WHICH FEATURED HIM AND WOWJ'S OTHER ULTIMATE AUTHORITY, HIS MOTHER.

JANET RHORER.

DAVIS, WE MISS YOU.

LOUISIANA HAS LOST NEARLY 10,000 LIVES TO COVID-19.

MORE THAN 400,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INFECTED.

ONE YEAR LATER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE LOOKING BACK AT THE RACE IN THIS PANDEMIC AND WHAT'S NEXT IN THAT FIGHT.

THIS TIME OF A YEAR AGO LOUISIANA WAS GETTING ITS FIRST TIDBITS OF INFORMATION ABOUT A VIRUS NO ONE HAS HEARD OF.

ON MARCH 9th COVID-19 FESKT $ITS FIRST VICTIM IN NEW ORLEANS.

TODAY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONFIRMED THE FIRST PRESUMPTIVE POSITIVE CASE OF COVID-19, COMMONLY CALLED CORONAVIRUS, IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

THE PATIENT IS A RESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH AND IS CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED IN ORLEANS PARISH IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE PATIENT'S PRIVACY, WE WILL NOT BE RELEASING ADDITIONAL DETAILS -- DETAILS ABOUT THAT CASE.

GOVERNOR EDWARDS' ANNOUNCESMENT WAS A SHOCK TO THE PUBLIC.

NO ONE KNEW EXACTLY WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO LIFE AS WE KNEW IT.

BUT SINCE THAT FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE A YEAR AGO THE VIRUS PROVED ITSELF TO BE THE DANGER EVERYONE WAS AFRAID OF.

TO DATE LOUISIANA HAS LOST NEARLY 10,000 LIVES, MORE THAN 400,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INFECT WOULD.

-- INFECTED.

♪♪ ♪ THAT SAVED A RECHE LIKE ME PEOPLE CAME TO THE CAPITOL TO REMEMBER A LIFE TAKEN TOO SOON.

IT'S QUITE STRIKING WHEN YOU SEE ALMOST 10,000 FLAGS OUT THERE AND THINK ABOUT WHICH OF THOSE FAMILIES HAD TO GO THROUGH.

IT'S IMPORTANT, 12 MONTHS INTO THE DAY, I THINK TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

LOOKING BACK ONE YEAR, DR. LOUIS MINSKY SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW HIS STAFF AT BATON ROUGE GENERAL WAS SO RESILIENT.

HIS HOSPITAL HELD THE FIRST COVID PATIENT IN THE PARISH JUST DAYS AFTER THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE FIRST CASE.

I THINK TO FIND OUT WE HAD A VIRUS THAT WAS GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS AS IT HAD IN NEW ORLEANS THAT WE REALLY HAD NOT YET COMPLETELY IDENTIFIED.

WE WERE NOT REALLY CLEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION.

WE WERE NOT CLEAR -- NOR DID WE HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT THE POTENTIAL AND THE RAMIFICATIONS MUCH LESS THAT ONE YEAR LATER WE WOULD STILL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH ACTIVE CASES STILL IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AT THIS POINT NO ONE KNEW HOW TO TREAT THIS VIRUS.

THEY KNEW THAT IT WAS A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS THAT CAUSED SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND A DRY COUGH BUT NOTHING ELSE.

THE STAFF RELIED ON THE CDC AND TRIAL AND ERROR TO GET THROUGH THAT INITIAL DIAGNOSIS.

WHAT WE DID ONE DAY WAS TOTALLY NOT WHAT WE DID THE NEXT DAY.

WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING PROPERLY LAST WEEK WE ARE DOING DIFFERENTLY THIS WEEK.

SO MUCH INFORMATION WAS GATHERED AND SO MUCH NEW MATERIAL WAS LEARNED SO RAPIDLY TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH THE INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WERE VERY SICK, THAT IT WAS HARD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND TELL YOUR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC WHAT THEY NEED TO DO OR DON'T NEED TO DO.

BECAUSE WE WERE LEARN, IT FIRSTHAND.

ALL THE INFORMATION WAS CHANGING QUICKLY.

THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW TO WEAR MASKS OR DISTANCE THEMSELVES.

BUT THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY CHANGE AND SO WOULD TREATMENT PLANS.

DOCTORS WERE TRYING TO PROCESS THE INFORMATION RAPIDLY, TOO.

CATHERINE O'NEAL AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE HOSPITAL IN BATON ROUGE SAID THEY FLIPPED BETWEEN ONE DRUG AND REASON DECEMBER VEER.

WE APPLIED THE BEST MEDICINE FOR SEPSIS BUT THAT HAS A WHOLE TREATMENT COURSE HOW TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS.

IN THE END THAT'S WHAT SAVES LIVES.

THERE WAS A COOK WOULD BEING FOR THAT WHEN THIS PANDEMIC STARTED.

IT JUST TOOK A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT WAS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WAS USE THAT SEPSIS COOKBOOK.

SUPPLIES AND PPE WERE ALSO A CONCERN FOR DOCTORS AT THAT TIME.

THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE ON FACE MASKS, HEAD GEAR, AND VENTILATORS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOSPITALS WERE LOW ON STAFF.

EACH TIME ANOTHER SURGE SPIE SPIKED, SUPPLIES WOULD SPRING.

THE BATTLE TO END COVID-19 IS FAR FROM OVER.

VACCINATIONS HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN BEING GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC AND VARIANTS ARE BEGINNING TO MUTATE.

O'NEAL IS HOPEFUL THAT LOUISIANA CAN BEAT THIS.

IF EVERYONE STAYS VIGILANT.

WE KNOW HOW TO STOP IT.

WE JUST DON'T LIKE THE ANSWER.

WE DON'T LIKE STAYING HOME.

WE DON'T LIKE WEARING MASKS.

WE DON'T LIKE STAYING AWAY FROM PEOPLE BUT IT ABSOLUTELY WORKS.

THE REDIRECTIONS FOR VACCINES HAVE CHANGED.

MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS.

IF YOU ARE 16 AND OLDER WITH THE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITION YOU ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.

AND NOW OUR INTERVIEW WITH LSU PRESIDENT COMGALLIGAN.

A WEEK HAS PASSED SINCE LSU.

IT FOUND HOW POORLY THE UNIVERSITY DEALT WITH ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC ABUSE AND HOW IT'S TITLE 9 OFFICE TOTALLY MISSED ITS MISSION.

THERE IS A STENCH OF GUM LOW THAT BANGS OVER THE CAMPUS.

WHEN THE GROUP MARCHED TO LSU'S FOOTBALL OPERATIONS CENTER BLOCKING A DRIVEWAY WITH THE SIT-IN.

PROTESTING WHAT THEY SAY IS THE UNIVERSITY'S WEAK RESPONSE TO THE HUSCH BLACKWELL REPORT.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT LSU HAS DONE TO ADDRESS AND NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THIS CAMPUS.

SO WE ARE HERE TO RAISE OUR VOICES AND REMIND THEM WE CARE ABOUT THIS.

800 MILES AWAY, THOUGH, KANSAS WAS MOVING QUICKLY TO CLOSE THE BOOK ON THE LES MILES COACHING ERA.

THE REPORT REVEALED INFORMATION ABOUT MILES THAT WAS LONG SEALED SHUT.

ACCUSING MILES OF ONGOING INAPPROPRIATE ADVANCES TOWARDS CO-EDS WHILE AT LSU.

EMAILS SHOW HOW FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WANTED TO FIRE MILES IN 2013, WHEN THE ALLEGED ADVANCES CONTINUED DESPITE WARNINGS.

AT THE TIME MILES WAS RIDING HIGH.

HE IS NOT ANYMORE.

THE HUSCH BLACKWELL REPORT IS THE FIRST TIME LSU HAS EVER ISSUED ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER BEEN TRANSPARENT LIKE THIS WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT'S FORGOTTEN UPON UNIVERSITY LEADERS THAT WE DON'T WORK FOR THEM.

THEY WORK FOR US.

WITHOUT STUDENTS THERE'S NO LSU.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING THIS, TAKE ACTION NOW.

THE ACTION STUDENTS WANT TO SEE INVOLVES HIGH PAID TIGER ATHLETIC LEADERS.

BOTH HAVE SALARIES THAT FAR EXCEED $200,000 A YEAR.

BOTH FACE BRIEF UNPAID SUSPENSIONS, 30 AND 21 DAYS.

BUT THE REPORT SAYS SERIOUS MISTAKES WERE MADE WITH -- AND SEEING KERR BOTCHED REPORTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AGAINST FORMER RUNNING BACK DARIUS GI CHSE.

WE KNOW THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING THAT WERE NOT BEING REPORTED AND WERE NOT BEING PUNISHED.

SO IT WAS IN THAT CONTEXT THAT I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS FAIR.

MANY I DON'T KNOW IF I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION OR IF I DIDN'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND I'M ALSO HAVING TO DISCIPLINE FOR BEHAVIOR THAT OCCURRED BEFORE I WAS HERE.

AT LEAST IN THIS OFFICE.

GALLIGAN SAYS THE REPORT DID NOT DWELL ON INDIVIDUALS BUT RATHER ON LSU'S SYSTEM OF REPORTING, IT SAYS, WAS BUILT TO FAIL.

WHAT'S UNCLEAR REPORTING POLICIES, INADEQUATE TRAINING, AND A TITLE 9 OFFICE WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED.

THE NEW TITLE 9 OFFICE AT LSU WILL BE VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAS EXISTED BEFORE.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE NEW TITLE 9 OFFICE IS GOING TO BE THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND TITLE 9.

IT WILL BE LED ON AN INTERIM BASIS BY INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT JANE CASSIDY WHO HAS SERVED FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS AS A SENIOR VICE PROVOST OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.

SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED FACULTY MEMBERS.

THE GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE ATHLETICS BE INVOLVED IN THE TITLE 9 REPORTING STRUCTURE AT ALL.

AND TO HAVE THINGS GO DIRECTLY TO TITLE 9.

THE WOMEN THAT THE LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK OPENED DIALOGUE FOR ALL OF THE STATE'S UNIVERSITIES.

TO HEAR HOW EACH SCHOOL IS HANDLING CASES OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

AND WHICH POLICIES ARE WORKING.

WE HAVE A PATH BEFORE US NOW TO DEMAND BETTER AND TO REQUIRE ACCOUNTABILITY.

OVER AND OVER WE CAN LEGISLATE, THIS IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO FIX THIS, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TO PROTECT THE VICTIM.

BUT IF THAT'S NOT BEING DONE, AND WE'RE NOT BEING MADE AWARE OF IT, IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND THE WAYS IN WHICH WE MADE MISTAKES.

AND WE COMMITTED ERRORS.

SO WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONE.

WE WILL MAKE PROGRESS.

WE WILL GET BETTER.

WE WILL GET IT RIGHT.

THE HUSCH BLACKWELL REPORT DID NOT CALL FOR THE FIRING OF WORKERS.

HENCE THOSE SUSPENSIONS BUT ONLY TWO.

IT MADE 18 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LSU TO COMPLY WITH TITLE 9 REGULATIONS.

WHEN CLASSES WERE CANCELED AROUND THIS TIME LAST YEAR, TESTING SCORES WERE NOT APPLIED.

A YEAR INTO THE PANDEMIC SOME SAY IT'S TIME FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE THOSE EXAMS AGAIN TO GAUGE WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING AND WHAT THEY ARE NOTE.

I SPOKE WITH THE LOUISIANA SUPERINTENDENT TO SEE HOW THOSE SCORES MAY YOU BE APPLIED IN 2021.

LOUISIANA HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN TERMS OF STUDENT-CENTERED POLICIES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT WHERE WIELD LIKE TO BE IN TERMS OF STUDENT OUTCOMES.

IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK SIMPLY AT READING RATES AND LOOKING AT STUDENTS WHO HAVE MASTERED CONTENT IN READING, HE WE KNOW THAT JUST OVER 40 FERS OF STUDENTS IN LOUISIANA HAVE MASTERED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS READING BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

BUT IT'S A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT EXAMPLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF A CHILD IS NOT ON GRADE LEVEL AND READING BY THE TIME THEY END THEIR THIRD GRADE EXPERIENCE, THEY'RE TWO, THREE, FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.

ED AND SO WE KNOW THERE'S WORK WE HAVE TO DO ACROSS OUR STATE.

AND WE ARE COMMITTED ALONGSIDE EDUCATORS AND PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO DO THAT WORK.

WHENEVER IT COMES TO STANDARDIZED TESTS LIKE ACT TEST SCORES, HOW, LOUISIANA STUDENTS DOING?

WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN ACT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IN FACT, WE'RE AT ONE.

OUR LOWEST LEVELS THIS DECADE SINCE WE'VE BEEN GIVING THE TEST TO EVERY SINGLE STUDENT ACROSS OUR STATE.

AS I ENTERED THIS WORK AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT, EARLY IN THE SUMMER, IT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I KNEW NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION.

AND I THINK THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE THAT SOME ATTENTION BECAUSE -- AND LOUISIANA ACT QUALIFIED STUDENTS FOR THINGS SUCH AS DUAL ENROLLMENT, ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES, IB COURSES.

AND WE ALSO KNOW IT'S THE GATE KEEP ARE FOR TOPS.

AND FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO ATTEND COLLEGE ON TOP SCHOLARSHIP, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN SCORE ON THE ACT.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ALSO ALLOWS STUDENTS TO GO TO THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE OFTENTIMES, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE HAVE THE PANDEMIC SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR KIDS TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED IN ORDER TO TAKE THESE TESTS.

SO DO YOU THINK THAT THAT'S IMPACTING THEIR STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES?

WE DON'T KNOW.

AND, IN FACT, WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT NOW IN TWO YEARS.

AND SO WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE TRUE IS THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE THIS SPRING TAKE THOSE ASSESSMENTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

YOU KNOW, AT BASE LEVEL, THE REASON THE TEACHER YOU SAYS IS IS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE CHILD IS AND THEN FOR THAT TO INFORM THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL DISEASE DECISIONS.

WE NEED TO MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS BASED ON THIS INFORMATION BUT BEYOND THAT, I BELIEVE THE INFORMATION WE WILL GAIN FROM THE ASSESSMENTS WILL HELP INFORM POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

IT WILL HELP INFORM RESOURCE ALLOCATION DECISIONS, BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

AND SO WE JUST IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

AND, IN FACT, OUR STATE BOARD AFFIRMED THIS MOST RECENTLY THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKING THESE ASSESSMENTS THIS SPRING IS PRETTY IMPORTANT SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE OUR KIDS ARE IN THIS STATE.

IN TERMS OF THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND STANDING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS HAVEN'T REALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO WITH THESE TESTING SCORES.

WHERE ARE YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW IN THIS PROCESS?

OUR STATE BOARD PRIORITIZED THE NEED FOR ASSESSMENTS TO TAKE PLACE AND WE HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ON HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN.

WE HAVE OPENED UP EXTENDED WINDOWS FOR PROTESTING THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE CREATED FLEXIBILITIES FOR EVENINGS OR WEEKENDS.

SHOULD THAT NEED TO BE THE CASE FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

BUT WHENEVER WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SCORES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, FOR US, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED THE ASSESSMENT SO THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION.

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME LEVEL OF PUBLIC REPORTING SO THAT OUR PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHERE OUR KIDS ARE.

AND BEYOND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT DOES ACT LOOK LIKE.

THAT'S A CONVERSATION OUR STATE BOARD HAYES COMMITTED TO TAKING UP OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS WERE STARTING TO KIND OF HELP STUDENTS THAT HAD FALLEN BEHIND.

CATCH UP A LITTLE BIT.

WE LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE CALLED ACCELERATE MOST RECENTLY.

AND IT REALLY LEANS INTO THE IDEA OF TUTORING.

AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED SYSTEMS WITH RESOURCES FOR TUTORING RESOURCES THAT WERE BUILT BY SOME OF THE BEST TEACHERS ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN READING AND MATH, SYSTEMS AND SCHOOLS HAD THOSE IN THEIR HANDS.

AT WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON WHAT SUMMER MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

GIVING FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO THERE KIDS IN SUMMER PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR, ROBUST FULL-DAY SUMMER PROGRAMMING TO ALL EXTENT AS POSSIBLE, WHERE NOT ONLY DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN TUTORING AROUND CORE CONTENT AREAS LIKE READING AND MATH, BUT THEY ALSO GET EXPOSURE THIS SUMMER TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'VE MISSED OUT ON OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, YEAR SUCH AS ART OR MUSIC OR P.E.

AND SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING SYSTEMS TO THINK ABOUT SUMMER MORE ALONG THE LINES OF A FULL-DAY CAMP, AS OPPOSED TO THAT TRADITIONAL MINDSET AROUND SUMMER SCHOOL.

I LOOK AT.

THESE PLACES THAT HAVEN'T HAD SCHOOL OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR AND KIDS HAVE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A YEAR.

I AM JUST SO PROUD OF LOUISIANA EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THE DECISION ON HOW TO APPLY TEST SCORES MAYOR NOT BE REACHED UNTIL THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION COMES TO A CONCLUSION.

IT IS ALMOST ALL SYSTEMS GO.

JARED "SACKMAN, THE TECH ISAACMAN, THE TECH BILLION ENSPACE MISSION M-SPHIR RATION TO GIVE FOUR PEOPLE A FREE TRIP TO SPACE AND RAISE $200 MILLION FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS IN THE PROCESS.

ONE OF THE FOUR CIVILIANS CHOSE HEEN FOR THE LAUNCH LATER THIS YEAR IS ST. FRANCISVILLE NATIVE AND CANCER SURVIVOR HAYLEY ARCENEAUX.

SHE IS A FORMER LPB LOUISIANA YOUNG HERO.

MY BROTHER AND SISTER ARE SPACE ENGINEERS.

I HAVE GIVEN THEM THOUSANDS OF QUESTIONS.

DOES THIS CALL COME OUT OF THE BLUE?

THEY CAME IN AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT.

THEY WERE BEING VERY VAGUE.

AND I DID NOT EXPECT THEY WERE GOING TO ASK ME TO GO TO SPAILS.

THE IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT BESIDES THE FACT YOU ARE GOING?

I'M HOPING WE WILL GET TO DO A FACE TIME WITH THE ST. JUDE KIDS WHILE I'M IN SPACE.

THAT'S WHAT I AM LOOKING FOARLGD TO THE MOST.

I THINK OF KIDS ARE GOING TO GET SUCH A KICK OUT OF IT.

AND ALSO IT CAN SHOW THEM WHAT THEIR FUTURE CAN LOOK LIKE.

THINK BACK TO WHEN YOU WERE, TWO DECADES AGO.

HUH HUH.

DO YOU EVER IMAGINE ANYTHING LIKE THIS?

OR WERE YOU TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE NEXT HOUR?

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO SPACE.

AND UNTIL THIS MISSION, I REALLY HAD TO BE PHYSICALLY PERFECT TO GO TO SPACE.

BUT THIS MISSION IS CHANGING THINGS.

THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT A CATEGORY THAT I FIT INTO.

BECAUSE OF THE SURGERIES I HAVE HAD AND THE METAL ROD I HAVE IN MY LEG.

THIS MISSION, WE ARE TRYING TO HOPE SPACE TRAVEL UP TO EVERYONE.

HAYLEY, TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU ENDURED, WHAT YOU HAD, AND WHAT WAS DONE, AND HOW YOU'RE HEALTH ENOW.

I WENT THROUGH A YEAR OF INTENSE KENO THERAPY FOR BONE CANCER.

AND THEN ALSO HAD SURGERY THAT ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO SAVE MY LEG.

THEY REMOVED THE PART OF MY FOOT THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE TUMOR AND REPLACED IT WITH A METAL ROD.

IT ULTIMATELY SAVED ME SEVERAL SURGERIES.

IT WAS VERY INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY.

AND IT GAVE ME SO MUCH MORE QUALITY OF LIFE.

SO I SPENT A YEAR AT ST. JUDE'S AND THAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT YEAR OF MY LIFE.

IT DEFINITELY MADE ME WHO I AM AND IT WAS A HAPPY, JUNE LIFTING PLACE THAT ALL I KNEW I WANTED TO WORK THERE WHENEVER I GROW UP.

I HAVE BEEN CANCER-FREE FOR 19 YEARS.

I WAS RUNNING DOWN THE LIST THE OTHER DAY MENTIONING ON OUR BROADCAST ALL THE FIRSTS THAT YOU ARE YOUNGEST CIVILIAN, FIRST WOMAN WHO IS NOT AN ASTRONAUT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

OUT OF ALL THE FIRSTS I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE FIRST PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVOR IN SPACE.

WHAT THIS IS GOING TO SHOW THESE KIDS, AND I TOLD THEM, I AM GOING TO BE FIRST PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVOR IN SPACE BUT I AM NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST.

AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS MISSION SHOWS THEM THAT THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT.

AND THEY DON'T NEED TO LIMIT THEMSELVES.

TELL ME ABOUT THE PATIENTS THAT YOU DEAL WITH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND HOW YOU RELATE TO THEM.

I WORK AS A P.A., PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, WITH INPATIENT LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA PATIENTS.

IT'S A LOT OF NEW DIAGNOSES, CHEMOTHERAPY, AND THEN MANAGING ANY TREATMENT-REPRESENTED COMPLICATIONS.

AND I LOVE TO SHARE MY STORY WITH THESE KIDS ESPECIALLY THE NEW KIDS.

AND I FELL THEM THAT I KNOW THEY ARE SCARED AND OVERWHELMED BECAUSE I WAS IN THEIR SAME SHOES 19 YEARS AGO.

BUT I TELL THEM THAT THIS EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO MAKE THEM WHO THEY ARE.

AND IT'S GOING TO MAKE THEM TOUGH.

AND I ALWAYS TELL THE MOM IN THE ROOM, WE ARE GOING TO BE BEST FRIENDS AFTER THIS.

I REALLY HOPE THAT IT SHOWS THEM TO LOOK FORWARD AND TO LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR FUTURE.

AND I HOPE THAT IT GIVES THEM HOPE BECAUSE HOPE IS PRICELESS.

EVEN THOUGH THERE'S SOME HARD TO BELIEVE A GENERATIONAL GAP BETWEEN YOU AND SOME OF THESE YOUNG KIDS DO THEY GET IT?

DO THEY SEE, YES, SHE WAS WHERE WE ARE?

I THINK IT DEFINITELY GIVES THEM REASSURANCE THAT THEY NEED.

AND I LIKE TO SHOW THEM PICTURES OF ME WHENEVER I WAS GOING FOR TREATMENTS THAT THEY CAN SEE I WAS BALD, TOO, AND I WAS AROUND THEIR AGE.

AND ACTUALLY, I HAD THIS MOM ONE DAY CALL ME AND SAY THAT HER SON TOLD HER, IF MISS HAYLEY GOT THROUGH THIS, SO CAN I. I HAVE TO SAY THAT WAS JUST THE MOST MEANINGFUL PART OF MY JOB.

HAYLEY IS LIVING HER DREAM OF WORKING FOR ST. JUDE, SAYING IT WAS HER GOAL WHEN SHE WAS NAMED THE YOUNG HERO 19 YEARS AGO.

AND RIGHT NOW LPB IS ACCEPTING NO, MA'AM NATIONS FOR THIS YEAR'S KLASS.

THE DEADLINE IS MARCH 15th.

FOR INFOLLOW, CHECK CAN OUT LPB.ORG.

THE.

AS THEY FIGHT DISCRIMINATION.

YOU CAN WATCH THE SCREENING ON MONDAY NIGHT.

IT'S MARCH 15th AT 6:00.

JUST GO TO LPB.ORG/CODEDBIAS AND THERE'S A PANEL DISCUSSION THAT FOLLOWS THE FILM.

THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

REMEMBER YOU CAN WATCH ANYTHING LPB ANY TIME WHEREVER YOU ARE WITH OUR LPB APP.

YOU CAN CATCH LPB NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOWS AS WELL AS OTHER LOUISIANA PROGRAMS YOU HAVE COME TO ENJOY OVER THE YEARS AND PLEASE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

FOR EVERYONE HERE AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I AM DRAW MOREAU.

AND I'M KARA ST. CYR.

UNTIL NEXT TIME THAT'S THE STATE WE'RE IN.