By Deon Roberts, Online Editor
Today, the Louisiana Lottery issued a press release about an LSU graduate who won $15,000 from a scratch-off ticket.
“Graduating from college is a great achievement, but facing the ‘real world’ can be daunting for graduates before starting a new job. That won’t be a problem for recent LSU graduate Darren Rome, however, who claimed a $15,000 top prize from a Louisiana Lottery Spades scratch-off ticket,” the press release says.
Clearly, the press release is designed to highlight Rome’s winnings. But, to me, the following is the most important line from the press release:
“Rome said he will use his winnings for moving and living expenses as he starts a new career in Houston.”
It looks like Louisiana’s brain drain continues.•
12 responses so far ↓
Nicole W // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 2:26 pm |
Chicken or egg syndrome.
I see natives leaving, always stating if things get better I’ll come back. Things don’t get better unless you are willing to stay and fight for your home.
That said, while Louisiana might have a brain drain…there are new faces in town post K and many of US are here to stay with our graduate degrees and fight for a place many of us actually care about.
Patrick // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 2:57 pm |
A trend of 1! An exhaustive examination of the issue, no doubt.
neworleanscitybusiness // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
Patrick,
Whenever someone leaves the state to start a career somewhere else, it’s a loss to the state, whether you quantify it in lost taxes or “intellectual capital.” We should be sad to see educated people leave Louisiana. That was the point of the blog posting.
Thanks for your comment.
Deon Roberts
Online Editor
Jenn // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 6:13 pm |
It’d be interesting to a see larger scale study of how many people are moving to Louisiana versus those leaving the State. I have met dozens of young people who came down to live in New Orleans Post-K to work in schools, in housing nonprofits and to start businesses.
Don King // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 6:26 pm |
The brain drain is not a new phenom. It has been going on for decades, it’s just a question of how fast this brain drain is occuring.
Carol // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 7:17 pm |
I left Louisiana 2 years ago to build my career and try life somewhere else. Well the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and I have missed home every day that I’ve been gone. I hope people who are thinking about leaving realize that there’s just no place else like New Orleans or south Louisiana. I’m planning to return for good in the next month and would be interested to know how many people who leave Louisiana eventually come back.
Patrick // Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 7:54 pm |
Responding to Deon’s earlier comments:
Yes, it is a loss when someone leaves the state. And I am aware that we have a serious issue in retaining young talent. Nevertheless, it seems a little overwrought to wring one’s hands over a single college student (whose most newsworthy achievement at this point is winning a lottery scratch-off game). When I turned 18, Alabama “lost” me to Delaware. At 23, Delaware “lost” me to Louisiana, where I built a career and a business.
College students graduate and strike out on their own. It does not mean the sky is falling.
Darren // Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 6:01 pm |
My name is Darren Rome–the winner of the $15,000 scratch off game. I received a Bachelors in Music Education from LSU, and I am staring at legislation that will cut the decentralized arts funds in Louisiana by 83%. I am leaving Louisiana because of the state’s lack of educational standards and organization at both the elementary and secondary levels. I do not feel that sticking around to teach, particularly in EBR parish, will provide me with the initial, positive experience that a young teacher needs in order to feel successful in his/her first year. Our esteemed governor would rather hack away at the educational budget rather than frivolous investments (nutritiously processed chicken!).
Finally, Jim Engster of NPR-WRKF (Baton Rouge) reported today that Louisiana’s population has been flat lining for decades now. It is certainly not gaining any new supporters!
Nicole W // Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 10:17 pm |
Then I suppose all those new teachers in the RSD in Orleans Parish from all over the nation are just kidding themselves?
With all the people moving into Orleans Parish (can’t speak to the rest of the state) you should take a second look. A career isn’t or shouldn’t be about taking the easy way out.
Sebastian // Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 1:16 pm |
Darren, well written, except that you’re relocating to, where, Texas, with an even more arts-non-friendly governor. Just say you want to experience another place.
Darren // Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 4:39 pm |
Sebastian
Thank you for the kudos! Believe it or not, Texas is actually one of the most music-education friendly states in the nation! In my particular district, consisting of 100,000 students, many of the elementary schools have orchestral programs in addition to chorus, band, and general music classes. Wow (this is rare)! In fact, the system is so well set up, that there are even assistant directors hired for the choirs and bands in order to:
A) Help relieve the work load of the master teacher
B) Give the assistant the opportunity to learn under an experienced mentor
These assistant directing positions are found throughout much of Texas–especially in the larger cities. This is precisely the structuring that a novice teacher needs in order to set himself and his students up for success!
Half of new teachers quit within the first five years of teaching; I am not willing to become another statistic in order to fight a broken system within these first critical years. I respect all teachers who strive to better the lives of their students, and I understand and respect your commitment to the restructuring of the system in Orleans Parish, Nicole. I wish you and your fellow colleagues the best!
nolaj // Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 4:25 pm |
OK, Lets start taking care of our young educated, or highly skilled adults. We have to start recognize them by keeping them in the lime light. Corporate America, in New Orleans has to start hiring the locals. Make it fashionable to be educated. Keep the criminals off the streets. Make this place a safer place. It’s not always about the party….It is time to change the reputation of New Orleans. Big Easy! A name of the past.