All school employees wear many hats, especially in small parishes like St. John the Baptist.

School Counselor Renisha Oubre, who is in her third year at Fifth Ward Elementary School, knows this well.

She recently told me that she sees her job as one to counsel with students on social and academic levels, before quickly saying “it goes far beyond that.”

School fundraising is just part of the job.

So it was last month that the schoolhouse veteran was excited to learn she was awarded a $2,000 Walmart Community Grant for additional student supplies and resources.

The boost of funding came at a critical time for the Reserve school, which is undergoing a major transition in the 2017-18 academic year.

The school now serves students in kindergarten through fourth grade, with a more complete faculty focus on academic foundation setting.

As with any project, that effort needs raw materials and $2,000 earmarked for supplies is just what the doctor ordered.

Oubre was most excited to share that the grant would impact the entire student body.

“We are using it mainly for school supplies for the kids in their classes,” Oubre said. “It’s for things like school bags, pencils, notebooks, folders and binders. A lot goes towards making interactive notebooks, interactive binders and various projects the students will have to create.”

Oubre was encouraged to seek the grant by principal Drenean Brown, who earned a similar one in her teaching days.

Oubre did a little bit of research, filled out the form, detailed the school’s needs and a plan to address them with the grant money and sent in the request.

Within a couple of weeks, she had the acceptance response, funds and posed for a picture with school administration.

The best part is it helps serve Fifth Ward’s new student population.

“I am excited about the fact that we get to set a better foundation, because we are working with younger grades,” Oubre said. “When the students do move on to middle school and other grade levels, they will already have that foundation set.”

Oubre, who has been with St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools since 2008, is a Vacherie native born to a family of educators.

She knows the challenges faced by River Region students, but education was not her obvious thought while growing up.

It took firsthand viewing.

“This was not my first choice as a career but after doing some volunteer work in the school, it was only natural for a career path; I just hadn’t realized it at first,” she said. “Now, not only do I work with students, I work with staff. I do a lot of community involvement. I am the bridge that connects everything for the school.

“I am in this role because I get to help the larger part. I get to help parents, students, the faculty and staff.”

Special thanks goes to all our local educators who aren’t confined by their hours in the office or job descriptions. Those are the ones who look for extra ways to educate our children and provide better opportunities.

May your hard work inspire future success.

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.