Meet the 19-Year-Old Who Just Won a Seat on His Local Louisiana School Board: ‘The Board Needs Some Fresh Ideas and Young Members’
This article is part of a series on that showcases the remarkable individuals, triumphs, success stories, and acts of kindness happening in schools all across America. For more inspiring profiles, visit The74Million.org/series/inspiring.
A Louisiana teenager is heading back to school, but this time, he’ll be taking on a different role – that of a teacher to the educators.
Nineteen-year-old Stanley Celestine Jr. made history in the Avoyelles Parish School Board election by becoming the youngest member in over a century. He ran for an open seat that was previously held by Sheila Blackman-Dupas, the District 5 member.
Blackman-Dupas fully supported Celestine throughout his campaign, stating on Facebook just days before early voting began that he was the most knowledgeable candidate on the ballot, even surpassing the incumbents. She had been championing him since he first announced his candidacy as a junior in high school, expressing the need for fresh ideas and young members on the board. She believed that Celestine could be the answer to her prayers for the youth to take an interest in politics. You can find his Facebook page at Facebook.com/StanleyForKids.
Clearly, Celestine is not your typical teenager. He graduated from the Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences in Bunkie and is now the CEO of the non-profit organization he founded called Truly Thrive. This organization, Louisiana’s first youth-led STEM education program, works to provide opportunities for disadvantaged children by bringing together businesses, educators, and policymakers.
Celestine secured the District 5 seat with an impressive 789 votes, which accounted for 65 percent of the total. As one of the nine board members, his responsibilities will include overseeing 10 schools that educate approximately 5,300 students from pre-K to 12th grade.
With his appointment imminent, Celestine has wasted no time in meeting with principals and teachers. Just a week after winning the election, he visited Cottonport Elementary School, where he had attended from kindergarten to sixth grade. Monique Gaspard, Celestine’s former assistant principal in high school, praised his intelligence and spoke highly of him, stating that despite his young age, he is mature beyond his years, as reported by KALB.
Celestine campaigned with the goal of offering the board a fresh perspective from a recent graduate and inspiring more students to participate. He believes that schools are meant for the young and that students’ voices are crucial for any organization that aims to benefit children. In an interview with USA Today, he explained that his experiences have given him a deep understanding of the challenges facing young people.
During his campaign, some voters questioned why he didn’t wait until after college to run for the position. Celestine responded by likening education to learning how to read and write – you don’t wait until a child has finished college to teach them. His belief is that it’s important to start early and instill in young people the idea that they are never too young to challenge the status quo and go against the norm. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a focus on family and child studies through an online program at McNeese State University, as mentioned in USA Today.
So far, Celestine’s journey has been remarkable. By offering his perspectives and insights, he hopes to make a positive impact and pave the way for future generations to get involved in shaping the education system.
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