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Where We Serve: Plaquemine

Quick Facts

Life in the City

Plaquemine is a friendly, traffic-free, one-of-a-kind place. Any and all visitors are treated to the opportunities that no other town can offer… the drive-thru daiquiri depot, lunch at Fat Daddy’s, watching LSU and Notre Dame football with the locals on Saturdays, early morning Cajun French radio, and fresh boiled crawfish purchased road side. The families in our neighborhoods and schools go out of their way to extend a warm, Southern welcome, inviting us into their homes and making sure that we don’t leave without an authentic Louisiana experience. This experience is, of course, replete with the food that has made Louisiana famous. Not many ACE teachers walk away from their two-year commitment having tasted alligator sauce piquante, crawfish beignets, seafood gumbo, and white chocolate bread pudding. Finally, Plaquemine is a short drive from New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Biloxi, and the Cajun/Zydeco music capital of America, Lafayette; all of which serve as nice day trips or weekend excursions and boast endless petroleum/crawfish/strawberry/Cajun and Zydeco/Mardi Gras/Jazz festivals!

For more information about ACE, including how to apply, click HERE.

Plaquemine

Plaquemine is a small town (population approximately 7,500) in rural Louisiana. It is only 30 minutes from Baton Rouge and the ACE community there. According to the description on its website, “Plaquemine lies nestled in the arms of scenic Bayou Plaquemine, a historic waterway used by the early French settlers and traders. It is mentioned in Longfellow’s epic poem, ‘Evangeline,’ and the water ceremony of the International Acadian Festival re-enacts Evangeline’s arrival in Plaquemine in search for her lover, Gabriel. A waterfront part now lines the northern shore of Bayou Plaquemine.”

The name says it all… not many people have had the opportunity to live and/or work in Plaquemine, Louisiana. As a community of six, the ACEPlaquemine house has an opportunity to make its presence known in this small Louisiana town. With no movie theater, chain restaurants or shopping mall nearby, we learn to exercise our creative capacities and say “yes” to the invitations our friendly neighbors extend to Mardi Gras balls, craw fish boils, and LSU football games. With our own parking lot, LSU pool table and piano lounge, Satsuma tree and charming patio, we are well equipped to entertain others as well.

Teachers Serving This Community

  • Joseph Funk

    Joseph Funk | ACE 19

    Teaches High School Social Studies and Religion at St. John High School

    What's been the best moment of your ACE experience so far?

    My favorite part of this summer was being able to get my practicum class excited about the lesson.

    Background

    B.A. History, Catholic University of America
    Originally from Gaithersburg, MD
  • Amy Kirkpatrick

    Amy Kirkpatrick | ACE 18

    Teaches High School Spanish at St. John Interparochial High School

    What is your favorite teaching moment?

    As a first year teacher, I always felt like I wasn't doing a good enough job. Typical. As I was complaining in the teacher's lounge about how my students constantly complained about speaking Spanish, a veteran teacher assured me that she had heard more Spanish in the school this year than in any of her 15 years teaching there. While they refused to speak Spanish in my classroom, apparently they loved to speak it in Math class. They even wrote the word "chicos" in permanant marker in the hallway. At least they're using it outside the classroom.

    Background

    B.A. Spanish and English with a minor in Catholic Studies, Loras College
    Originally from Lincoln, NE
  • Maria Lynch

    Maria Lynch | ACE 19

    Teaches High School Language Arts and Spanish at Ascension Catholic High School

    What are you most looking forward to about your ACE site?

    My community, both in my ACE house and in the community. I am so excited for community dinners, LSU games, daquiri drive-thrus, small-town hospitality, and even alligator on a stick!

    Background

    B.A. English and Spanish, University of Notre Dame
    Originally from Seattle, WA
  • Matthew Hawk

    Matthew Hawk | ACE 19

    Teaches High School Language Arts at St. John High School

    What has been an ACE summer class that you've enjoyed so far?

    I really like Dr. Burke's English content class because he models a lot of great ideas for us to use in our courses and the microteaching lessons other students present are helpful, too. We also get a lot of useful suggestions from the ACE 18s about our projects.

    Background

    B.A. English with a minor in Theology, University of Notre Dame
    Originally from Lima, OH
  • Maura Shea

    Maura Shea | ACE 18

    Teaches High School English at Ascension Catholic

    How has ACE shaped your spiritual life?

    I think the best part of being in ACE for me has been the experience of my life no longer being fully my own. In high school and in college, my life was so centered on me! My grades, my future, my plans, etc. Being in ACE has freed me from that in a way. When you're a teacher, your life isn't about you anymore, it's about your kids. They become the motivation for your hard work, the reason behind your plans, the subject of your prayers. I think I'm starting to understand a little better what Christ meant in the Gospels when he said you have to lose your life in order to truly find it.

    Background

    B.A. English and Theology with a minor in Classics, University of Dallas
    Originally from Stoneham, MA
  • Joseph Funk
  • Amy Kirkpatrick
  • Maria Lynch
  • Matthew Hawk
  • Maura Shea

Schools We Serve

ACE teachers serve at the following schools:

 

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