From the LSMSA Foundation: FIVE QUESTIONS FOR... ANNE DEJOIE-LUCAS

 

Anne Dejoie-Lucas joined LSMSA in May 2020 and has been an integral part of our community ever since. Anne felt a sense of purpose from the very beginning. "When I got back into the car after my interview, the first thing I told my husband was, ‘This is where I belong; where I am supposed to be!’” Nearly five years later, that feeling hasn’t wavered.

 

Learn more about Anne, her role as Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director,  \Deputy Executive Director, and Governing Board of Directors, and her passion for helping each and every student achieve greatness—whether she's heading up the Athletics Council, teaching the newspaper course, or making an impact through gifts to the Foundation.

 

What initially brought you to LSMSA? 
My husband, Calvin, was born and raised here, and always said he wished he could move back to Natchitoches. I always loved it here when we visited, and we both have family here, so I said “why not?” We both dreamed of owning land and looked at property here every time we came to visit. We were blessed to purchase acreage in 2018 in Shady Grove/Hagewood, about 10 miles out of town. Everything fell into place—our daughter, Maya, graduated and matriculated to ULM in 2018, I notified my company in Houston that I would be transitioning within two years, my husband retired in 2019, and the rest is history. I interviewed at LSMSA in March 2020, right before all the kids were sent home due to COVID. When I came onboard in May, there was only a handful of us actually on campus—the students were learning remotely. So, my transition in was quiet and uneventful and I just settled in.

Tell us a little about your work - what does a day in the life of Anne Lucas look like? 
I was hired as an Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director, the Chief of Staff (which is now the Deputy Executive Director position), and the Governing Board of Directors. As a “Basketball Mom,” I quickly found my way into the gym and began helping with athletics. That involvement with our student athletes led me to organize and sponsor an Athletic Council that is now in its third year and continues to grow. The newspaper teacher/sponsor left in August, and I was asked to fill that role for the Fall 2020 semester. I hold a Liberal Arts/Journalism degree from Texas A&M University, so newspaper was a natural fit for me, and I’ve kept that adjunct position here ever since. A “day in the life of Anne Lucas” looks like organized chaos! On any given day, I can be found in the front office, in the gym, in the Foundation office, in the classroom, in the community doing service with the student athletes, in the LLC cooking/baking with students—who knows?? The students, faculty, and staff all know that I’m here to support, help and encourage to the best of my ability, and my door is always open if you need anything or just want to chat or bounce ideas.

Why do you feel it is important to give back to LSMSA through gifts to the Foundation? 
Part of my role assisting Dr. Horton, our Executive Director, is to submit requests and documentation to the Foundation on behalf of students, faculty and staff requesting assistance. That duty has allowed me to see, firsthand, the enormous impact the Foundation has on our school and just how much it does for our students—no request is too small or too great to be considered!! It is a daily assessment of needs that the Foundation so graciously fills each and every day. What seems small often makes such an impact for our students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend the School or participate in certain events and activities. Though I am not an alumnus or have kids attending here, I see the work done by the Foundation and see firsthand the impact it has; and for me, it’s a no-brainer to donate to such a meaningful and impactful cause.

 

Do you have any standout moments or memories from your time at LSMSA? 
In my short time here, I’ve already amassed a bunch of wonderful memories. My favorites always involve time spent with the students—Athletic Council events, fast food on the road with the teams when we have games, playoff tournaments, bake sales and ice cream events in the LLC kitchen, shopping at Walmart to support the Radio Mash Toy Drive, and so much more. A personal achievement that came as a pleasant surprise was being presented the Outstanding School Support Employee Award in 2022. I used to joke when I started here about “making the wall.” If you’ve been to campus, you’ve seen the wall of photos for years of service and outstanding employee awards. My first year here, I would joke with my daughter about it being my goal to make that wall before I retired. So now, whenever I decide to retire, I’ll know I’ve left my mark on LSMSA!

 

Do you have any hobbies outside of the office? 
Work sometimes becomes my hobby because of the involvement with athletics and the students. I enjoy taking them on community outreach opportunities when possible. My husband and I have three grown kids (the baby is about to turn 25), and we are blessed with eight wonderful grandkids. The youngest turned one last fall. He and our daughter are at the house with us, so I get those smiles and laughs and giggles every single day! Nothing ends the day better than a relaxed evening at home with my husband watching our “baby” take care of her “baby.” I travel back to Houston often to see my mom, sister/nieces, and our oldest daughter and two of the grandkids. Our son recently retired from the Navy, and he and his family (the rest of the grands) live in Florida. The distance makes travel a bit harder, but Facetime and modern technology means we can talk and see them via phone as often as possible. When they travel to Natchitoches, having them all running around the property and playing is so rewarding. I also enjoy local festivals and events and attend many of them with my sister-in-law, nieces and grandnieces/nephews here in the Natchitoches area. Natchitoches is such a beautiful, peaceful city. When the weather is nice, Calvin and I simply like to walk along Front Street and hang out by the water. In our “younger” days when spare time actually existed, we enjoyed hunting and fishing together, and still enjoy just being outdoors and reflecting on all the many blessings that have been bestowed upon our family! Life is good!