Growing up, I always celebrated Mardi Gras despite having no French background, being a five-hour drive from New Orleans and being under 21.
So it was to my surprise and excitement when I realized a local preschool, La Petite Ecole, was selling beignets, French donuts with powdered sugar, as a fundraiser for the school at Lucky’s Market.
As a Lucky’s Market virgin, I was amazed at the setup of the market and how much of a Whole Foods vibe it gave off from the moment you stepped in. The atmosphere continued at La Petite Ecole’s beignet table.
At the booth, shoppers are greeted by two volunteer grandmothers, who have grandchildren attending the preschool, as well as founder and director Jolle Quoirin.
As I waited behind other shoppers to receive my warm order of six beignets doused with powdered sugar made by a mother from the preschool, Quoirin informs me that this is no ordinary preschool. La Petite Ecole is a French immersion school, this meaning they teach children exclusively in French.
“As an educator, it is amazing to see the young children writing, reading and participating in math lessons all in French. I’ve had the opportunity to watch children progress from toddlers to first graders at La petite and the transformation is incredible,” says Cynthia Myers, a retired teacher and volunteer for the event.
La Petite Ecole, meaning “the little school” in French, was founded in 2005, and for the past 11 years has continued to teach math, reading, social skills and even gymnastics all in French to children from the ages of 2 to 6.
“It has amazing cognitive benefits, that far surpass just merely the ability to be bilingual or biliterate,” Quoirin says. “It’s mind boggling.”
From one bite of the beignet, you can taste the culture the school offers their students. As I’m eating the beignet I feel as if I’m in New Orleans sitting next to my mother at Cafe du Monde laughing because somehow, like always, we ended up getting powdered sugar on our noses.
In order to continue to assist their students in a French learning environment, the school has a scholarship fund that helps benefit the 30 percent of their student population that is on partial financial aid.
To no surprise thanks to the help of a grandmother tag team, Quoirin’s bright personality, Lucky’s Market and a mother’s homemade beignets the school was able to raise over $600 for the fund this past Feb. 9.
“We’re very grateful to Lucky’s for allowing us to be welcomed in their establishment and provide this opportunity,” Quoirin says of the second-year success of the fundraiser.
Now that’s sweet.