Thomas

@DocSmith

I grew up poor. But education lifted me up from poverty. I married my high school sweetheart in 1968, and this year 2026 we will celebrate our 58th wedding anniversary. I worked in the Avoyelles Parish School System for 33 years as a high school teacher of English and social studies, assistant principal in three schools, principal in two schools, and in the district office as the English/Social Studies Resource Teacher/Grants Coordinator (mostly writing grants). I served as an adjunct instructor at LSUA and Northwestern State University of Louisiana. I have worked as an adjunct instructor in Michigan for Macomb Community College, University of Phoenix in Metro Detroit, and Baker College in Clinton Township and Auburn Hills. I taught as a full-time instructor for seven years at Baker College of Auburn Hills. I have made education presentations at the state level in Louisiana and Michigan, at the regional level in the South, and at the national level in Florida, Nevada, and Michigan. Teaching/education has been my life's work. I revel in student success at high standards. I still teach through my writings--especially the historical fiction. I am an independent, self-published author of 13 books. I still tutor at times and also consult as a grant writer. I serve as a board member at the local history museum, am active in my church, present workshops and speak occasionally, and am the 2025-2026 president of the Avoyelles Retired Teachers Association. Family and faith are very important to me.

City Park Players

@cpptheatre

Central Louisiana Community Theatre, Inc., doing business as City Park Players, is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to offering quality cultural activities and experiences to the entire Central Louisiana community through live theatre productions, programming, and education

jordan ssss

@123

yo whatsup

Rapides Parish Library

@breeannarpl

Rapides Parish Library is a public library that serves all individuals in the Rapides Parish community. We aim to promote lifelong learning, enhanced quality of life, and literacy through print, audiovisual and electronic resources.

Michael Elliott-Smith

@elliottsmith

Earlier in my photography career, I photographed landscapes with a medium format camera usually loaded with infrared film. I moved into digital photography in 2005, shooting both digital visible and digital infrared images. Once I understood the power of Photoshop, it opened up a new direction to explore, the world of surrealism. Some of my prints are formed from a number of images, these constructed places only exists in my imagination fueled by dreams, personal emotions and life experiences. Whether, the final print is composed of one image or several, I am simply presenting my vision of the world around me.

Arts Council of Central Louisiana

@artcenla

The mission of the Arts Council of Central Louisiana is to enhance the quality of life in our communities by promoting, developing, and encouraging the arts in Central Louisiana. The Arts Council of Central Louisiana is a solid, supportive community arts agency guided by a dedicated board of directors and a qualified professional staff working to help the community to understand the value of the arts both for their intrinsic worth and for what they can do to improve the quality of life for its citizens. The Arts Council of Central Louisiana is committed to evoking broad support for the arts and producing tangible community benefits through a dual commitment to quality art and quality community life. To ignore community interests and needs is to isolate the arts into ever more marginalized comers of society. To compromise artistic quality is to diminish the very power that enables the arts to make a difference.

Barbara Elkins

@barbelkins

Pianist/Accompanist/collaborator

T.R.E.E. House Children's Museum

@treehousemuseum

T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum is an organization committed to enriching the educational experiences of children through hands-on learning. We strive to continually engage children and families in new and different ways to facilitate a love of learning. Educational play also provides a layer of learning in a non-traditional classroom setting that underscores the set curriculum of concepts learned in school. Children who are afforded experiences like we provide are often introduced to basic concepts here before they are formally presented in a school setting. Truly, early investment in children’s play and formal education are symbiotic and imperative to the well-developed child. T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum is ever rising to this occasion.

Judy Caplan Ginsburgh

@jcgtune

Judy is a multi-award winning singer/songwriter/educator specializing in music for Families and Jewish music. She has a degree in Vocal Performance from the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Judy has produced over a dozen recordings and published several music curriculum books. Her music sells all over the world wherever music is sold. She is a recipient of the Louisiana Governor's Arts Award for Professional Artist of the Year; she was a Southern Arts Exchange Roster Artist and a juried artist on the Louisiana Artist Roster. She is also the recipient of a Jubilation Fellowship Award from the Tides Foundation for her outstanding work sharing music and joy with children.

Rise and Shine Letterpress

@riseandshine

Hey there! Welcome to Rise and Shine Letterpress, where we mix vintage industrial machinery with charming design to bring you beautiful, handcrafted stationery. We're all about the art of letterpress printing, creating paper goods that are as unique as you are. Our story started with a love for the tactile beauty of letterpress. We believe that every invitation, card, and piece of stationery should feel special and tell a story. From dreamy wedding invitations to nifty business cards, we pour our hearts into every design. We’ve had the joy of working with all kinds of wonderful people, from couples planning their big day to small businesses and craftspeople looking to add a personal touch to their brand. No matter the project, big or small, we approach each one with the same level of care and creativity. Whether you're celebrating a big life event or just want to add a bit of personality to your everyday notes, we can help craft unique printed stationery for you.