More than two dozen local 4-H members did their best to brighten up Easter for nine St. John the Baptist Parish foster children.

Known as Junior Leaders, a group of approximately 25 teenagers gathered Tuesday night at the LaPlace library to build and stuff Easter baskets full of toys and treats so a handful of kids down on their luck might have a reason to smile this weekend.

We’re faced with many challenges in St. John the Baptist Parish, but there are bright spots with numerous youths and youth leaders working to better our community.

St. John 4-H Extension Associate Victoria Kendrick said she is so proud to see the Junior Leaders taking up this charge through community service since forming in mid-January.

“I asked them to bring items to put in the baskets,” she said.

“They brought so much stuff that we had stuff left over. The baskets were too full. I was so impressed with how they took ownership of the project. They each made cards to put inside the baskets to make them more personal.

They really went out of their way to make it something special.”

Kendrick, who only recently came to St. John, told me her first meeting with the Junior Leaders was Jan. 15.

The parishwide club is open to seventh through 12th graders who are in 4-H.

Most of the students who joined didn’t know each other before, but have taken to working together, according to Kendrick.

“These are kids that are interested in pursuing leadership, community service and doing a little bit extra,” she said. “They are still in their school 4-H club, but this is in addition to that. They are an amazing group of kids that really care about St. John as a community and want to get involved.”

The students met in January to plan a fundraiser, community service project and education field trip with a goal of completing each by the end of the school year.

“When I see what we were able to do in two months, I ask what are we going to be able to do in two years?” Kendrick said.

“I’m so excited to see how this club forms and builds. I’m going to be sad to see my seniors graduate, but we have a strong group of younger kids.

A large portion of our club members are seventh and eighth graders. They can grow in their leadership and how much they care. It’s going to be awesome to see them when they get older.”

The local Junior Leaders followed the state’s 4-H foster care support theme is organizing this week’s service effort.

Kendrick helped guide the work by partnering with the Department of Children and Family Services in LaPlace to make sure baskets went to foster children in the community.

Junior Leaders were also told each basket was going to a child 6 or younger, allowing the teens to stuff the baskets with age-appropriate items.

Organizers secured help from Raising Cane’s and New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co. to beef up each Easter Basket with additional goodies.

The Department of Children and Family Services also provided 15 additional names to match with the 15 schools in St. John the Baptist Parish that have active 4-H clubs. Those 15 school clubs each adopted one of the foster kids (the name is withheld for privacy) so the schools can create foster care packages. Over the next couple of months, the students will build care packages to present May 3 on Achievement Day — 4-H’s big end-of-the-year awards banquet.

Following the event, Kendrick will take the packages to the Department of Children and Family Services for distribution through greater LaPlace.

It’s nice to know many of our motivated teenagers are actively working in the community to support their less fortunate brothers and sisters. Any support provided to the Junior Leaders or St. John 4-H is certainly justified.

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.