Summer is a tough time to be a parent. School is out. The sun is scorching. You need a break for your kids. Maybe they need a break from you. That’s why they created summer camp, a Godsend for working parents if there ever was one.
Kids get a lot out of camp: time to play and be curious, maybe a chance to learn new skills and meet some new friends. Summer camp is time-honored. It’s important. And if you’re in St. Martin Parish, you might send your kid to camp at Teche Center for the Arts.
TCA is the primary historical and cultural center for the Teche area of Acadiana. Jeanne Blanchard McBride is the executive director.
Jeanne Blanchard McBride, Executive Director of Teche Center for the Arts, where the promotion of Cajun and Creole is at the heart of all the fun for kids
TCA has a wide range of year-round programs. They put on chicken runs, concerts, cooking classes and other cultural encounters. A big part of their business is camps. They run art camps, fall camps and summer camps, all of which are priced to be affordable.
TCA is a nonprofit, so besides running the organization, Jeanne spends a lot of time raising money. Jeanne grew up in Breaux Bridge. Before starting at TCA in 2021, she worked as an attorney and clerked for state and federal judges.
Summer camp is pretty much a universal childhood experience at this point. And there’s a lot of demand for enrichment programming throughout the year. Especially for kids who could use some special attention to thrive.
Kali Picard, her activity center, Borderless Color, runs camps and activities year-round for neurotypical kids and makes special provisions to include kids for whom artistic self expression might be their primary form of communication
Kali Picard is the founder of Borderless Color, a studio and enrichment center designed to include kids on the autism spectrum. Programs are individually customized and are open to the neurodivergent and neurotypical alike.
Kali was born and raised in Lafayette. Besides running Borderless, she works as a speech and language pathologist.
Kali Picard, Jeanne Blanchard McBride, Christiaan Mader, Out to Lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. Photos by Giada Morgan.
