Magnificent Men of Jeanerette honors area educators, leaders

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, February 5, 2019

The Magnificent Men of Jeanerette handed out the group’s annual recognition awards for area educators and community leaders at a ceremony over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend last month.

The Magnificent Men group has given the awards each year for the last two decades, group spokesman Charles Williams said. 

“We take nominations from members of the group and talk about the nominees, then decide through the group,” Williams said. 

The awards honor people who contribute to the education and leadership, primarily for the youth of Jeanerette, Williams said.

This year’s honorees are Carolyn Batiste Jack and Bettye N. Cooper from the educator side and JoAnna Bouie deClouet and Tekesha Davis Austin for their work with the youth of Jeanerette.

Cooper, a lifelong resident of Jeanerette and mother of three, spent more than 45 years as a teacher in the Iberia Parish School System. She was twice recognized as a Teacher of the Year, once at Canal Street Elementary School and again at St. Charles Elementary School.

As part of her tenure she also was involved in adult education, training for clients of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), summer educational enrichment and after-school remediation programs.

Jack followed a similar path, initially serving the Iberia Parish School System as an elementary school teacher for 38 years before retiring. She continued her work as an educator for eight years, teaching adult basic computer skills at the Housing Authority Center in New Iberia before being asked to again step into the elementary school classroom, this time for another eight years.

Austin and deClouet were honored for their work as the co-leader and leader of Girl Scout Troop 2109 of Jeanerette. The pair has guided the troop for more than 14 years.

“This is a way for us to give back to the community and the people who serve our community,” Williams said. “It is an incentive for those who want to help make our community stronger and a way for us to honor those who help make a difference.”