By CHRIS LENOIS

With LEAP tests concluding recently, I wanted to write about the rituals I’ve seen and heard about in conjunction with the week long event. The word “ritual” typically has a religious connotation. But in this instance, I see a lot of similarities between church and state.

The state of Louisiana seems to think a student’s progress from Elementary school to Middle School, and from Middle School to High School is a significant enough event to warrant testing of the skills that student has learned. Here at L’Observateur, we’ve spoken to numerous local educators and students about this year’s LEAP test, and each has acknowledged its significance to their lives. The various administrations have gone so far as to plan celebrations for the students just for finishing the LEAP tests, never mind the results.

It seems like some parents in St. John are starting to get it. Students I interviewed about taking the LEAP tests told me how their moms and dads would take them out for pizza when they did well on the tests, or enticed them with special trips during the summer.

I was raised Catholic. I have vivid memories of my First Communion and Confirmation ceremonies because of the importance placed upon these events by my family’s involvement. Grandparents, aunts and uncles with cousins in tow who all made time to be at these events.

I’m not well-versed in what other religions by way of these rites of passage. I know the Jewish faith has the Bar Mitzvah, a coming-of-age event. I should think and hope other faiths have similar traditions.

Alternatively, my memories of taking standardized tests like the CAT (California Achievement Test) or SATs consist of sitting in gray rooms looking at the patterns created by the penciled-in circles on the scan-tron forms, imagining each were water slides I could swoosh down once summer recess started.

Coming home from taking those tests was like coming home from any other day of school, even though there was significant importance in succeeding in those tests. They were at least of equal importance to my development into society’s adulthood as following the tenets of my religion were to my spiritual adulthood.

So I’m glad to see the rituals observed on the school calender getting some of the same acknowledgement as those on the Roman Catholic calendar. I think this is the best way to help kids grow into adults.

CHRISTOPHER LENOIS is a staff reporter for L’Observateur. He may be reached at (985) 652-9545.