Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Shealey Kinchen, 7; Carlaysha Forman, 1; Carson Ritz, 3; and Jaelyn Ritz, 5; from left, find relief from the heat in cold fountains at Jambalaya Park's sprayground in Gonzales on Aug. 1. Families have been flocking to the park as the school summer vacation winds down. School started Wednesday at most Ascension Parish schools.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Hansen Nguyen, 6, reacts to a blast of cold water at Jambalaya Park's sprayground in Gonzales on Aug. 1.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- An excited Brody Creel, 4, of Gonzales hoists a small sunfish he caught Saturday at the East Ascension Sportsman's League's 52nd annual Kid's Fishing Rodeo held at Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park in Dutchtown.

Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling -- Max Guillot, 8, who'll be a third-grader at St. John Primary School in Prairieville, holds a small sunfish he caught Saturday at the East Ascension Sportsman's League's 52nd annual Kid's Fishing Rodeo.

Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling -- A basket fills up with very small fish, which overpopulate the two ponds at Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park and need thinning out each year, organizers of the East Ascension Sportsman's League's Kids Fishing Rodeo said. Children lined the ponds Saturday for the 52nd annual event.

Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling -- Jim Hebert, left, of St. Amant, helps Jacob Smart, 9, of Galvez, with his fierce-looking, two-pound alligator gar during Saturday's weigh-in at the East Ascension Sportsman's League's Kid's Fishing Rodeo. Jacob won the overall biggest fish prize.

Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling -- Kaci Robinson, from left, helps son Wesley Robinson, 5, and her husband Jessie Robinson helps their son Lathan Robinson, 2, as they fish Saturday at the East Ascension Sportsman's League's 52nd annual Kids Fishing Rodeo. Kaci Robinson's father, Steve Bentley, of St. Amant, was also there helping with hook-baiting and other tasks making it a three-generation outing.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU - Wounded Army veteran Cpl. Jeffrey Argrave, 24, right, is saluted by fellow veterans, many with the Patriot Guard Riders, Thursday during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new home to be built for him in the Renaissance subdivision of Prairieville. The Capital Region Builders Association and Homes For Our Troops have teamed up to build the home for Argrave, who suffered major injuries to his spinal column from shrapnel through the neck and a C5 vertebrae fracture in Afghanistan in 2010.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Wounded Army veteran Cpl. Jeffrey Argrave, 24, right, chats with fellow veterans Richard Jandura, Jack Watson and Dwight Sprague, from left, after a groundbreaking ceremony in the Renaissance subdivision of Prairieville on Aug. 2. The Capital Region Builders Association is partnering with Homes For Our Troops to build 2,600 square-foot handicapped accessible home for Argrave, who suffered major injuries to his spinal column from shrapnel through the neck and a C5 vertebrae fracture in Afghanistan in 2010.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- U.S. Air Force veteran Harry Delaune, left, cheers as wounded Army veteran Cpl. Jeffrey Argrave, 24, steps forward for a groundbreaking ceremony in the Renaissance subdivision of Prairieville on Aug. 2. The Capital Region Builders Association is partnering with Homes For Our Troops to build a new home for Argrave, who suffered major injuries to his spinal column from shrapnel through the neck and a C5 vertebrae fracture in Afghanistan in 2010. The home is expected to be complete in four months.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Brady Savoy, left, gives mouth-to-mouth when required as Madison Guitreau, right, performs the chest compressions on a model as judge Christopher Lousteau, standing background, watches during Monday's Life Guard Olympics at the Gonzales Jambalaya Park Pool.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Madison Guitreau, standing left, and Brady Savoy, right, pull Claire Babin out of the pool to rescue the 'drowning' swimmer on Monday.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- As other members of the life guard team look on, Jake Bordelon, left, gives mouth-to-mouth when required as Bridget Champagne, right, performs the chest compressions on a model as judge Christopher Lousteau, standing background, watches during Monday's Life Guard Olympics at the Gonzales Jambalaya Park Pool.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Lowery Elementary School Principal Lakesa Dixon, standing, gets the fifth-graders fired up at the first day of school assembly on Monday. The students headed back to school two days before the rest of the parish public school students as part of the school's Jump Start program.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Alec Foret, Taija Gillard, Hope Pitre and Brandon Daigle, from left, recite the Lowery Elementary Creed as the rest of the fifth-graders repeat it during the first day of school assembly on Monday.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Third-grade teacher Virgie Barbier, center, goes over standard rules and instructions for the school year with students, from left, Jaquan Sullivan and Jamaries Bennett on Monday.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Volunteer Ciara Young, 14, right, checks shoe sizes with fellow volunteer Gwen Hilliard while helping distribute school uniforms at Central Middle School in Gonzales on Tuesday.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Seventh-grader Hallie Rodriguez, 12, left, receives a new pair of shoes from volunteer Tiffany St. Pierre, right, while mother Rebecca Rodriguez looks on during Volunteer Ascension's uniform distribution Tuesday. Children throughout the parish could pick up uniforms and shoes.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Volunteers Jessica Lewis and Karen Sonnier, from left, comb through stacks of shirts and shorts while helping distribute school uniforms at Central Middle School in Gonzales on Tuesday. The annual program is sponsored by Volunteer Ascension.

Advocate staff photo by ADAM LAU -- Seventh-grader Tremecia Porter, 12, receives a new pair of shoes during Volunteer Ascension's school uniform distribution at Central Middle School in Gonzales on Tuesday.