Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, ?

STUDENTS LEARN THROUGH MUSIC

by Candace Pollock, St. Landry Bureau Writer

GRAND PRAIRIE -- The Cajun heritage is not a fad, it's a culture, says an Opelousas musician, and its preservation depends on the younger generation.

"A lot of parents grew up thinking the culture was some, thing to be put down," said noted Cajun musician Hadley Castille. "But we have to find way to continue preserving the French culture and we need do it through the young ones. They are our next generation."

Through the efforts of Castille and Duralde resident and former teacher Lisa McCauley, local children are keeping the flames of their heritage burning bright.

A grant from the Acadians Arts Council, written by McCauley, was awarded to the team to teach students the Cajun heritage through music and storytelling.

Fourth and fifth grade students from Grand Prairie Elementary here and Grolee Elementary in Opelousas got the chance recently to show off what they learned in a culmination performance of six weeks of lessons.

Parents, relatives and friends from throughout the parish gathered at the Grand Prairie Elementary gym to listen to the students sing in French songs about sharecroppers and the Acadians' journey to Louisiana from Nova Scotia.

Castille, his son Blake, McCauley's husband Corey and other musicians provided the music. In addition to the singing, some students also were chosen to tell a story about their family's Cajun heritage. McCauley said the community of Grand Prairie has responded to the teachings with enthusiasm and pushed hard to bring the final performance to their community. "The French background is strong here and the people wanted this event here," McCauley said. "Children don't know their family history and how life was in the old days.

"But the parents remembers through what a child learns," she said.

This article is copyrighted © by the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser and is used with permission.  This web site was originated through a grant awarded to Carencro High School (Joel Hilbun/Bobbi Marino, Grant Administrators) by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund - 8(g).