Storytelling That Inspires Action
Empowering the Next Generation Through Partnership
One of the greatest strengths of the Just Imagine SWLA 50-Year Resilience Master Plan is its ability to bring people together around a shared vision for the future. While infrastructure projects, planning efforts, and public investments are critical to building a more resilient Southwest Louisiana, meaningful community partnerships are what transform those plans into lasting impact. One such partnership with the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) Video Production Program is helping students discover the power of storytelling while connecting them to the future of the community they call home.
Through this collaboration, students have had the opportunity to explore several of the Just Imagine catalytic projects, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping Southwest Louisiana. Rather than simply learning about resilience in a classroom, students have documented these initiatives through professional-quality journalism and video production, using their creativity to share stories that matter.
One of the partnership’s earliest successes centered on the Coastal Protection catalytic project. After learning about the importance of protecting Louisiana’s coast and restoring natural systems, student Jacob Jewell created a documentary inspired by what he had learned called “The Forgotten Coast.” His film earned second-place honors in an international competition, an achievement that reflects both his talent and the impact of connecting students with meaningful, real-world issues. Today, Jewell is pursuing a degree in broadcast meteorology, continuing to explore the relationship between weather and the ways it has transformed life across coastal and Southwest Louisiana.
The students also told the story of the Resilient Housing catalytic project. Through interviews and a visit to LSU’s LaHouse, they explored innovative building techniques and neighborhood design strategies that can help homes and communities better withstand future storms and flooding. Their reporting also highlighted the upcoming Kingman Crossing neighborhood, being developed by Project Build a Future, which will serve as a real-world demonstration of many of the resilient housing principles and recommendations outlined in the Just Imagine Master Plan. Their outstanding coverage earned a First-Place Hard News Reporting Award from the Louisiana Scholastic Press Association, demonstrating how community partnerships can create meaningful educational experiences and increase public awareness of innovative housing solutions.
Most recently, students turned their attention to the Strong Downtowns initiative, documenting efforts to strengthen downtown districts and create vibrant places where residents and businesses can thrive. Their work captures not only the physical transformation of these communities but also the collaboration and long-term vision required to ensure successful revitalization.
For CTEC instructor Britney Glaser, the partnership has provided students with experiences that extend well beyond technical skills.
“Just Imagine SWLA has given our students at CTEC opportunities to discover the power of storytelling through real community issues and projects,” said Glaser. “These teens have learned of work going on behind the scenes to make their community a better place to live now and when they are older. They have learned of challenges our region faces—but more importantly, of transformative opportunities for change that include their voices.”
The partnership between Just Imagine SWLA and the CTEC Video Production Program demonstrates that resilience is about more than projects and plans; it is about people. By engaging students in authentic community stories, Just Imagine is helping develop informed, engaged young leaders who understand both the challenges facing Southwest Louisiana and the opportunities they have to help shape its future. Through their cameras, creativity, and curiosity, these students are preserving today’s stories while inspiring tomorrow’s changemakers.
