The 2025 Citizen Team Lineup
Team Kitten and Puppy University
Kittens and puppies need special attention at adoption events for safety and transport reasons. So, the meowWOOF team brainstormed about how our local rescues and shelters could get their adoptable young animals out into the community more easily.
Kitten and Puppy University (KPU) is a selection of mobile, purpose-built dioramas to temporarily house kittens and puppies at events, locations, and businesses. KPU has an educational component for adopters to inform them about pet ownership in Acadiana and to answer common questions about daily animal care. Not just the medical, physical, and emotional components of bringing a new animal home, we will also highlight the local legal concerns of which pet owners should be aware.
The kitten-sized and puppy-sized dioramas of places like a library, a cafeteria, a lecture hall, a dorm room, etc. are constructed as engaging and safe environments for the animals and humans alike. With built-in scratching posts and chewable furniture, the kittens and puppies can keep themselves entertained while they wait for their adopter to finish the paperwork for their adoption. These mobile units can be hosted at events and businesses for smaller targeted adoption meet-ups to get kittens and puppies into community spaces outside of shelters or foster homes for more adoption success.
These dioramas can also visit schools, long term care facilities, and other community meetings to increase the animals’ socialization and to offer healing cuddles for us humans, as well.
KPU facilitates adoption success for those specifically looking to adopt young animals. It creates a temporary space specifically for the young animals to be safe and comfortable during their adoption. And, let’s be honest, it’s cute as heck.
Team Safe Steps
This project transforms the crosswalk at University Avenue and Versailles into an inspiring path for Lafayette Middle School students.
The proposed crosswalk mural focuses on improving safety and visibility for students and families who regularly cross this busy corridor. This intersection experiences high pedestrian traffic throughout the school day, but the existing crosswalks are limited in visibility and often overlooked by drivers navigating University’s fast-moving lanes. By introducing a bold, art-filled mural at this crossing, the project seeks to slow down vehicular traffic, enhance driver awareness, and create a safer, more welcoming passage for children walking or biking to school.
Beyond safety, the mural also aims to strengthen neighborhood identity and foster community pride. Transforming the crosswalk into a vibrant piece of public art makes a daily routine of walking to and from school feel more engaging and connected to place. It offers opportunities for collaboration with local artists and students, allowing the design itself to reflect the community’s creativity. In this way, the project is not only a practical safety measure but also a cultural investment in the neighborhood, reinforcing the idea that public spaces can be both functional and inspiring.
Team Global Bites
A one evening festival of flavors and culture from around the globe. In collaboration with Festival International, UL and local international organizations, we will celebrate the rich and diverse international cultures that reside here in our community. And what better way to do so than with food?
The concept is to have 8-12 different communities (Lao, Nigerian, Indian, Lebanese, Persian, Filipino,etc.) set up a tent and sell food items that would be sold as street food in their respective countries. Each community/tent would have 1-2 items that cost $1-$3. They would be just small tastes so that the food lovers have enough room in their bellies to try multiple things from multiple countries. All money raised from the food sales would go to the community or their organization to strengthen them and help them have a budget to do more things throughout the year. In these times of rising xenophobia, the best antidote is knowledge, and food is one of the best ways to bridge gaps and share culture. This would be a way for different communities to meet, eat and connect.
We would host this festival downtown on the eve of Festival International, serving as a kickoff to one of the most exciting events in Lafayette. The festival will also function as a fundraiser, supporting local international community organizations and a nonprofit that welcomes international dignitaries during official visits. Our hope is to raise enough funds annually to send local musicians to international festivals as cultural ambassadors, showcasing Lafayette’s rich music and heritage to the world.
Team Lafayette Kid News
Our idea is to create a quarterly newspaper written entirely by kids in Lafayette, for kids in Lafayette, ages 7–12. This newspaper will provide a fun and creative platform where children can share their voices, showcase their talents, and contribute to their community. Each issue will feature sections like Kid of the Quarter, puzzles and games, jokes, trivia, local sports and arts highlights, local history, an art gallery, and a community calendar of kid-friendly activities. By putting kids in charge of the content, the newspaper will reflect the true creativity, interests, and ideas of Lafayette’s youth.
This is a good idea because kids in our community do not currently have a regular outlet where they can publish their work or highlight the achievements of their peers. Most local media is geared toward adults, leaving children without a place to be recognized or to connect with each other through writing, art, and shared experiences. Our newspaper fills this gap by giving young people a chance to take ownership, practice teamwork, and learn valuable skills in writing, art, communication, and leadership. It also builds pride and confidence by showing kids that their voices matter.
This project benefits the Lafayette community by creating something meaningful for kids and families to enjoy together. It provides children with opportunities to be seen, heard, and celebrated, while also helping them connect with their city in new ways. Parents and families will get to see the world from their children’s perspective, and local schools and organizations will have a new tool to highlight and encourage student achievements. In short, the kids’ newspaper will strengthen community pride, inspire creativity, and bring families closer together—all through the voices of Lafayette’s youngest citizens.
Team Festival de Fit Fête
Let’s be real… Our home, Louisiana is beautiful, soulful, and full of flavor… but we also rank high in things we don’t want, like obesity, high blood pressure, and preventable health issues. Festival de Fit Fête was created to flip that script. We deserve a tradition that makes wellness just as visible, accessible, and exciting as our music festivals and food celebrations.
Here’s what this festival consists of: the day kicks off with a family-friendly 5K run/walk, then it’s straight into main stage workouts that feel like a party, mix in with live entertainment. We’ll host fun fitness competitions with prizes that keep the energy high. Families will love the Kids’ Zone with obstacle courses and games, while grandparents can enjoy a Senior Zone with gentle mobility sessions supported by nurse volunteers. Because wellness includes what’s on your plate and we love to eat, our Healthy Cajun-Creole Cook-Off will give chefs the chance to remix traditional favorites with a healthier alternatives. They’ll be free health screenings, nutrition education, mental health resources, food trucks, gyms, wellness spas, vendors, music, and you’ve got a festival that feels good and does good.
This is more than just another feel-good event. It’s a community reset button. It’s a safe space where everyone including kids, seniors, families, athletes, and more can see themselves represented in fitness. It’s hospitals, trainers, and small businesses coming together to meet people where they are. And it’s proof that in Acadiana, we can celebrate our culture without sacrificing our health. Festival de Fit Fête isn’t optional… it’s a necessary staple our community needs. With the right support, it will grow into an annual tradition that changes the way we see wellness in this region. Festival de Fit Fête is joy, culture, and health all in one space. It’s the festival Acadiana has been needing and I’m ready to make it happen.
Team Certify Teens
Teen Cert Day 2025 is a one-day certification event designed to equip teens with essential, real-world skills. Participants earn nationally recognized credentials in CPR, ServSafe food safety, and leadership, all in a single day. The event brings resources directly into communities by partnering with established youth programs, schools, and local organizations that already serve teens. By removing access barriers and meeting young people where they are, the program ensures that opportunity is not limited by geography or income.
This initiative is more than skill-building. It is a community investment that supports both workforce development and home safety. Teens walk away better prepared to enter jobs in healthcare, food service, and leadership roles, which helps build a stronger, more skilled local workforce. At the same time, these certifications empower them to act during emergencies at home and prevent accidents through basic food safety knowledge.
CPR training equips them to respond in critical moments that could save a family member’s life. ServSafe education teaches them how to properly handle and store food, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses such as food poisoning, E. coli, and salmonella. Combined with leadership development, these tools prepare teens to be confident contributors at home, on the job, and in their communities.
Team F.O.O.D
“Feeding Others: Outreach and Distribution (F.O.O.D.) is an organization of volunteers passionate about preventing food waste and improving equitable access to food in our local communities. F.O.O.D. focuses on community engagement, education, and empowerment in developing and sustaining mutual aid food pantries and fridges throughout Acadiana. Once pantries and fridges are established and added to the network, F.O.O.D. volunteers rescue and distribute surplus food to locations throughout the network.
Since implementation two years ago F.O.O.D., in partnership with Lafayette Community Fridge, has grown to have relationships with a variety of restaurants, local stores, community organizations, and events (such as Festival International) for surplus food rescue. The organization is now facing the amazing opportunity to expand our reach. In recent months, donations have exceeded fridge and pantry capacity, leading to the need to add more distribution locations to our network.
Food waste is a significant problem both nationwide and locally. Across the country, approximately 40% of food produced is wasted. Much of the estimated 125 to 160 billion pounds of food wasted every year is edible and nutritious, and is only wasted due to issues such as overproduction, processing issues, and overbuying. While billions of pounds of usable food is wasted, approximately 12% of Americans are experiencing food insecurity. This rate is higher (18%) in Louisiana, meaning that more than 800,000 Louisiana residents don’t have access to sufficient food to feed themselves and their families. Adding community fridge/pantry locations on the north side of Lafayette will increase food access for the families in those communities, while also reducing local food waste.
While providing for the immediate need of food for families is an important endeavor, the project will have a broader and more sustainable impact. By engaging the community in establishing and maintaining the fridges/pantries, the project will help to promote community-centric neighborhood networks, increase opportunities for mutual aid, and empower residents to care for each other and their communities.
Team 64 Squares of Lagniappe
Downtown Lafayette’s parks are lively gathering places, but many lack permanent, interactive features that invite people to slow down, connect, and engage thoughtfully with one another. Without accessible activities, these public spaces often go underused outside of significant events, missing opportunities to spark community connection and lifelong learning.
The Downtown Lafayette Chess Tables Project proposes installing one to two durable outdoor chess tables in key park locations. These tables will serve as free, year-round gathering points for players of all ages and skill levels—encouraging mentorship, strategic thinking, and friendly competition. Partnering with local schools, libraries, and chess clubs, the project will host casual “chess meetups” to help residents learn and play together.
This initiative transforms a small park corner into a hub for creativity, logic, and social interaction—adding a little lagniappe to the downtown experience. The estimated budget is $1,500–$3,500 for 2 tables, covering weatherproof chess tables, installation, seating, signage, and community launch events. With community support and local partnerships, the project aims to make Lafayette’s public spaces more engaging, inclusive, and reflective of our vibrant culture.