Monday during lunch and legislation, we had the distinct honor of talking to our six parish presidents: Ryan Sipes (Atchafalaya), Franklin Birdwell (Mississippi), Isaac Moore (Cane), Cooper Lingo (Bogafalaya), Phillip Cenac (Sabine), and Hunter Packanard (Pearl). These young men showed great leadership on the first day of Louisiana Boys State by stepping up and assuming the highest representative position in their respective parishes. When I talked with these young men yesterday, they all gave distinct reasons for why they felt the call to leadership.
Ryan Sipes described his passion for leadership and representing his group, which he sees as a diverse bunch. Sipes expressed his belief that he was the best person to represent all of them. When it comes to how he plans to lead, he wants to be a man of the people and lead democratically. He is a consensus guy who wants public feedback before acting. Having already passed their first ordinance, he plans to keep checking in with his constituents, getting their input on future ordinances, what they want to prioritize, and what they want to change.
Franklin Birdwell was very honest in our conversation, saying that he walked in not expecting much and figured that he would just cruise through, but he found himself stepping into a leadership role within the group and decided to run with it. His whole motivation is the people around him, not himself. He has no interest in running for personal recognition; he ran so everyone else has the best experience they possibly can. When it comes to his leadership strategy, he plans to increase his parish’s morale. Birdwell wants to set up a chant committee to create more Mississippi Parish-based chants. He also wants to keep pushing on the city flags for both cities rather than stopping there. He wants to make sure he both leads the group in the right direction and, at the same time, gives back.
Isaac Moore discussed how much he enjoys being in leadership positions and that he wants to be the kind of leader who is a friend to everyone. He also said that since everyone just met each other yesterday, he wants to be a force that can bring everyone together and create a sense of unity in the parish. He added that watching everyone come together is what motivates him. When discussing his leadership style, Moore expressed his desire to be out front every day, leading the chants and bringing as much energy and hype as he can.
Cooper Lingo saw the problems that Bogafalaya was facing, and he thought that he was the man for the job. He states that crime and poverty are the problems that Bogafalaya faces the most. With this, he plans on creating social and educational reforms that will reduce these problems while also attacking poverty by seeking to increase pay so people can afford housing. Cooper states that the reason he went for Parish President is not just to have the power that the president has, but for the people that he dedicates his life to. While being from Concordia, Cooper states he will seek the betterment of the community, not just Concordia or just Catahoula. He loves his community, dedicates his win to his people, and is very grateful for their support.
Phillip Cenac came ecstatic to answer questions. He thought that the problem his community faced the most was coming to solutions to problems. The reason he wanted to become parish president is due to his exceptional leadership skills, and he felt that he was the main man for the job. To make sure both cities get what they need with no bias, Phillip believes in his city mayors to handle city affairs while he oversees all issues. Finally, Phillip thinks that disagreements come in life, and in said disagreements comes the true answer to a problem.
And last but not least, Hunter Packanard, a principal with great energy, thinks that the main problem in his community is miscommunication. However, he believes that this isn’t a huge issue and is seeking to fix it. To make sure that there is no bias for one city, Hunter thinks that as long as there is equal representation, no city can receive bias. Finally, Hunter thinks that disagreements are part of life, and you must be able to hear others out to fix said disagreements.
We are excited to see all of our fellow citizens succeed at Boys State as elections continue.