VHS student earns national recognition
Published 4:17 am Wednesday, August 29, 2018
- LaDarrick Smith participated in the national service learning project by preparing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter in Orlando, Fla.
LaDarrick Smith, a sophomore student at Varnado High School, received an all-expense paid trip to the CADCA Mid-Year Conference in Orlando, Fla.
He was one of seven students nationwide who received a scholarship to attend the five-day training, where he learned about Key Essentials Framework for Coalitions. LaDarrick was also trained in Over the Counter Medication Safety while attending the conference and is certified to train youth in grades 5-7 throughout the nation. LaDarrick stated that he would be training parish youth in this nationally approved program during the second semester of school.
According to LaDarrick, one of the highlights from his trip was meeting youth from all across the nation. He stated that he was able “to make new friends and gain new ideas for projects in his own community.”
LaDarrick will complete his yearlong training with CADCA at the Mid-Year Conference in Austin, Texas, in July 2019.
He is a member of the Washington Parish Youth Against Drugs Coalition that is sponsored through ADAPT, Inc.
LaDarrick is the son of Dedra and Eric Smith of Angie.