Pros perform student works

Advocate staff photo by Eliot Kamenitz -- Middle schoolers' plays are acted out by professional actors in the Play/Write project, the culmination of 11 weeks of playwriting classes taught by GRP teaching artists to 110 students in three New Orleans schools. Daranisha Ingram and Andrew Tadros act out a scene from 'The Trickster' by Kadria Montgomery from St. Mary's,  performed by Dillard Theatre Ensemble.

Theatergoers of all ages filled Dillard University’s Cook Theatre for Goat in the Road Productions’ fourth annual Play/Write Showcase on Tuesday. Everyone was there to see five local theater companies — Cripple Creek Theatre Co., Dillard Theatre Ensemble, Junebug Productions, NEW NOISE and Night Light Collective — give professional treatment to the staging of 10 one-act … Continue reading →

NORD playground renovated from the turf up

Advocate staff photo by MATTHEW HINTON -- Players break a banner held by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, center, New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owners Rita Benson-LeBlanc, Gayle Benson, Tom Benson and president of the City Council Jackie Clarkson for the grand opening of the Alfred Harrell Stadium in New Orleans Friday.

Using turf taken from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome after it was used for Super Bowl XLVII in February, the New Orleans Recreation Department renovated Harrell Stadium, celebrating its grand reopening on Friday. In addition to the championship turf, there were renovations to the basketball court and installation of a new stadium scoreboard and public address system. Continue reading →

Around Jefferson: Free seminars introduce beginners to genealogy

Sal Serio, curator of the American Italian Research Center at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie, will lead a series of 12 genealogical seminars for beginners starting next week. The sessions are designed as introductions to basic genealogical research and are free and open to the public. The programs will be held Wednesdays beginning this … Continue reading →

Patrick Taylor holds graduation

TIffany Lou, Patrick Taylor High School 2013 Valedictorian

Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy in Jefferson held its 2013 graduation ceremonies May 11 at the Alario Center in Westwego. The school has two valedictorians: Alexandra D. Baldassaro and Tiffany J. Lou. It does not designate a salutatorian. Other graduates are Sara E. Adoue, Nathalie Y. Aleman, Fatmeh T. Ali, Krishna C. … Continue reading →

Southern Rep, Loyola host theater camps

The Department of Theatre Arts at Loyola University New Orleans will team up with Southern Rep to host three new theater camps this summer. Registration deadline for the first camp is May 27. The camps will take place in the Lower Depths Theater, located in the Communications/Music Complex on Loyola’s main campus. Each camp will produce … Continue reading →

New Orleans Neighborhood News for May 23-29, 2013

MUSIC AT TRINITY: The Navy Ceremonial Band New Orleans will perform a concert to honor Memorial Day at 5 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave. NEWCOMB ART GALLERY FAMILY DAY: Newcomb Art Gallery on the Tulane University campus welcomes families from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday for Family Art … Continue reading →

La Vie de Ville: Cancer Crusaders dine, dance for a cause

Advocate photo by ROBERTA GROVE -- Attending Cancer Crusaders Dinner Dance Benefit are, from left: Pat Golemi-Cancer Crusaders Co-President, Dr. Augusto Ochoa, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium Co-Director, Denise Woodward, Cancer Crusaders Co-President and Dr. Prescott Deininger, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, co-director.

This past weekend Cancer Crusaders, the all volunteer-based nonprofit organization, held one of its major fundraisers of the year. The Crusaders’ elegant dinner dance took place in the grand ballroom of the Chateau Golf and Country Club as more than 200 Cancer Crusader patrons enjoyed a gourmet buffet with all the trimmings. Continue reading →

Jeff businesses win SBA awards

The U.S. Small Business Administration has selected four Jefferson Parish-based businesses as Louisiana Small Business Champion Award winners. According to the SBA, the awards highlight the impact of top entrepreneurs and small business owners from all 50 states and U.S. territories during National Small Business Week. One winner, public relations firm owner … Continue reading →

Battlefield sets Memorial Day activities

The Vietnam Veterans of VFW Post 3798, the National Park Service and The National World War II Museum will honor America’s fallen service members during Memorial Day weekend at Chalmette Battlefield and Chalmette National Cemetery, 8606 West St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette. Both sites are part of Jean Lafitte National … Continue reading →

What’s happening @ the New Orleans Public Library, May 23-30

With more than 20 children’s story times and many children’s activities held each week throughout our 14 library locations, the library is a wonderful place for kids to develop a love of learning. But the library doesn’t stop providing those opportunities once children become teenagers. We offer a wide range of teen activities including book clubs, movie … Continue reading →

Jefferson Parish library events

All branches of the East Jefferson Parish Library will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. FREE COMPUTER CLASSES: Call (504) 838-1144 STORY WITH CRAFT: 11 a.m. Thursday. Continue reading →

St. Tammany libraries start summer program

St. Tammany Parish readers 12 to 18 are invited to join the summer reading program “Beneath the Surface” at their local public library. The program continues through July 17. Register online at http://www.sttammanylibrary.org and click on the Summer Reading icon or register at the library. Teens will keep track of the minutes they have … Continue reading →

New Orleans area school briefs, May 23, 2013

Einstein Charter School will present the school’s musical ensemble and jazz band in performances and host special appearances by notable New Orleans musicians from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the school, 5100 Cannes St. Admission is $5, and tickets are available at the school. Food … Continue reading →

After-school programs collect beads for Arc

Photo provided by Community Works -- Students presented art created from recycled Mardi Gras beads to Arc. From left are Allia Grace, Sadie Daniel, Shiloh Sanders, Arc Director Margie Perez, Ryan McCray-Smith and Valiant Cuiellette.

Students from two New Orleans after-school programs collected and presented more than 600 dozen recycled Mardi Gras beads to Arc of Greater New Orleans, along with two art pieces made out of beads. The beads were collected by the Community Works after-school program at the International School of Louisiana and … Continue reading →

NOCCA junior wins poetry contest

Photo provided by NOCCA -- Jack Mierl, an 11th-grader at Mandeville High and a student in the creative writing department of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, won first place in the Southern University Pinkie Gordon Lane Poetry Contest for his poem, 'We Walk Down Rosemary Beach.'

Jack Mierl, an 11th-grader at Mandeville High and a student in the creative writing department of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, won first place in the Southern University Pinkie Gordon Lane Poetry Contest for his poem, “We Walk Down Rosemary Beach.” Jack was competing with more than 60 other Louisiana high school students. Continue reading →

Mount Carmel students recognized at language contest

Mount Carmel Academy was named best overall school Tier 1 in the foreign language competition held recently at Southeastern Louisiana University. Categories and winners were: French prose: Level 1, Diana Vazquez, third place; Level 2, Sabrina Langlois, first place; Level 3, Alexia Tadros, first place; Level 4, Georgie Bourgeois, first place. French poetry:Continue reading →

Students chosen as presidential scholars

William McGrew is a Benjamin Franklin Presidential Scholar.

Benjamin Franklin High School senior William J. McGrew and Aidaana U. Amanbekova of Mount Carmel Academy have been named to the 49th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, among 141 high school seniors nationwide recognized for their accomplishments in academics and the arts. Every year, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by the president, selects … Continue reading →

Mid-City gardeners learn to rise above bad soil

Advocate staff photo by JOHN McCUSKER -- Jeanette Bell's Fleur D’Eden urban garden, started before Hurricane Katrina on a 9,000-square-foot vacant lot on Baronne Street in Central City, offers a wide array of roses, herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Jeanette Bell has a dream for every New Orleanian, and she’s not afraid to get dirty to see it come true. “I want three things for everyone in this city,” she said as she stood on a vacant lot in Mid-City squinting into the sun. “I want everybody to have better quality food to eat in … Continue reading →

La Vie de Ville: Runners enjoy historic Metairie Cemetery

Advocate photo by ROBERTA GROVE -- Runners are off on the 5K race supporting the Save Our Cemeteries organization. More than 600 entrants participated.

The 10th annual 1-mile, 5K run/walk through historic Metairie Cemetery attracted more than 800 entrants this year, but at first the weather didn’t cooperate. Forced to postpone the event to the last Sunday morning of Jazz Fest, organizers were pleased that more than 600 runners still turned out to compete in a variety of different categories … Continue reading →

New Orleans neighborhood news for May 16-22

PORCH DOGS: The Garden District Book Shop presents Nell Dickerson, discussing and signing her book, “Porch Dogs,” from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., New Orleans. “Porch Dogs” combines fine-art portraits of man’s best friend with beautiful architectural documentation of the Southern porch. The Louisiana Society for … Continue reading →

New Orleans area school news, May 16-22, 2013

The Jane Austen Society of Louisiana invited high school students in southeastern Louisiana to participate in the Jane Austen Literary Round Table, an essay contest that will conclude with a roundtable discussion of the 10 best papers. Students are invited to submit essays until Aug. … Continue reading →

Improv troupe gives sick children a reason to smile

Advocate staff photo by ELIOT KAMENITZ -- From left, Anna Blackmon, Rachel Durston and Lanae LaBlanc act out a scene for the children.

Every month, comedians go to three New Orleans metro area hospitals with one goal: making sick youngsters laugh. It’s a goal that unites philanthropists and performers in the city, the region and beyond under the banner of Funny Bones Improv. Founder Jolene Fehler brought the nonprofit Funny Bones with her from Chicago to New Orleans about … Continue reading →

Success stories retold at hospital’s neonatal unit

Photo provided by Kristen Robinson -- From left, triplets Aria Grace, Avery Claire and Adelynn Leigh Hilburn are held by mother Kristen Hilburn, right, and grandmother Tammy Davis.

Babies and toddlers with colorfully painted faces walked, crawled and stumbled through the Touro Family Birthing Center on Saturday to reunite with the nurses and doctors who helped them in the first few days and months of their lives. All these children had one thing in common: They had been cared for in the neonatal intensive care … Continue reading →

Around Jefferson: Kenner theater presents ‘Gypsy’

The Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts will present the musical “Gypsy” from Friday through May 26 at the theater, 325 Minor St., Kenner. The show is directed by Gary Rucker. The musical director is Kyle Aucoin and the choreographer is Frannie Buchtel. Tickets are $30 to $35 per person with discounts for seniors, students and … Continue reading →

Tips for introducing a new dog to your pack

Photo provided by Animal Rescue of New Orleans -- Cal is an energetic lab mix with a sweet personality. He is crate trained and knows how to sit and shake hands. The adoption fee is $150 includes neuter, shots, a chip and heartworm treatment. Contact adoptfromarno@yahoo.com.

Adding a new dog to the family is a big decision and a lifelong commitment. It is especially important to consider the pets you already have in the home when deciding to bring in a new addition. Once you’ve decided to get another pet, you’ll want to make the introduction with a minimal amount of stress. … Continue reading →

New Orleans neighborhood news, May 9-16, 2013

HIKE THE LAFITTE CORRIDOR: The Friends of the Lafitte Corridor will host its annual three-mile hike at 9:30 a.m. Saturday beginning Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park and finishing at Bud’s Broiler, 500 City Park Ave. Bike Easy will hold a bike safety workshop at 9 a.m. in Congo Square and transport bikes … Continue reading →