Industry, Education, & Government

New Orleans has some interesting industries, a different education system, and a scrutinized government. Their biggest industry is tourism, with almost half the city's economy based on getting people to come to New Orleans. As others in our class will discuss, the BP oil spill had a negative effective on NOLA. The ship and aerospace industries are also hurting because some companies are pulling out of New Orleans. The health service industry is very big because many people in NOLA are still in need of health services years after Katrina hit.

The education system in NOLA is one of the strangest in the nation. Before Katrina the system was defunct and atrocious. There was not much learning going on before Katrina hit. After almost every school was destroyed, a lot of reform took place in New Orleans. There is now the highest percentage of charter schools in the nation in New Orleans. These schools are run by non-profit organizations in an effort to help students achieve more. The other group running schools in New Orleans is the Recovery School District (RSD), which was actually founded before Katrina hit. The combination of these schools has dramatically increased the achievement of students in New Orleans.

I'm really looking forward to heading to New Orleans. My dad's family is from Louisiana, so I've grown up with some of the Cajun culture. But more than the culture is the opportunity to serve and spread God's Love to everyone we meet. As an Eagle Scout, I know the meaning of service, and it will be an honor to help people that were put in a bad situation by measures beyond their control. I'm also looking forward to getting to know the rest of the class better. "Who Dat?"