Katrina High School Leaders
DeShawn Dabney, a sixteen year old junior attends O. Perry Walker High School in New Orleans. He is currently a leader and a council member for the Youthanasia Foundation’s Teen Center for Nonviolence. DeShawn was in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit, and is featured on CNN’s Children of the Storm. He is driven to change his community and help make New Orleans a more teen friendly city. Deshawn plans to attend a college or university after high school, and plans to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He is also attending the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts River Front and is studying musical theater.
Taryn Gaines, young, dedicated and strong are words that very well describe me. Taryn Gaines attends Edna Karr High School as a senior. She aspires to go to college next year at either Xavier or Howard University to study Biology and become a pre-med student, eventually getting into the career of Optometry. At a young age, Taryn understands the power of being a leader and she feels that being apart of The Katrina Leadership Project will help her become a better one. Through the KLP, she desires to gain the proper skills to create a new New Orleans and make a difference in the lives of youth in her community.
Jacque Landry is a junior attending McDonogh 35, a high school in New Orleans. The 16 years old is also a football player and is a member of the Engineering Club at school. Jacques is currently in the YMCA’s youth and government program where he wants to sharpen his leadership skills. He also believes New Orleans needs leaders and is excited about the KLP program’s leadership training opportunity. Jacques wishes to pursue a higher education in political science or engineering.
Tracci Lee is a 16 yr old Junior at Mcdonough #35 High School in New Orleans . At School she is involved with the Student Council and Student Committee. Her plans after graduation are to attend either Tennessee State University for Nursing or Dillard University from whom she has received a Talented or Musically Gifted Scholarship. As a young ambitious leader she will partake in the movement to advance New Orleans and make social change. She hopes to be a leader not only in New Orleans but through our nation as well and be a voice for the Youth. Her favorite leader is her Pastor, Raymond Watson who she feels not only speaks what he believes, but simply lives what he believes. As a result of Hurricane Katrina she has moved 3 times, transferred to 4 different schools but throughout what she has lost she has gained vital knowledge, and with time will be making a difference in our world. From having over 9ft of of water that destroyed her home and experiencing Katrina, Tracci is on her way to become the leader that she has envisioned.
Cornell Carney