Volunteers from Women for a Better Louisiana were among those helping the junior division (middle school) students set up their projects at the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair. Their projects were judged on the morning of day 2, after which the senior division (high school) projects were set up.

On the 3rd day of the 2026 GNOSEF the senior level projects were judged.  WBL member were happy to join other volunteers in supporting the GNOSEF.

Women for a Better Louisiana (at the time the Women's Auxiliary of the Chamber of Commerce of the N.O. area) first started supporting the Greater New Orleans Science Fair in 1963. Later, in 1976, the scope was expanded and the name was changed to Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair. 

Members of Women for a Better Louisiana attended the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation luncheon and the Metropolitan Crime commission's Awards luncheon. The Metropolitan Crime Commission fights to reduce crime and expose corruption. The luncheon recognizes the accomplishments of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Dr. Christan Nicole Ryan, Executive Director from Green Light of New Orleans, was the speaker at today's Women for a Better Louisiana meeting. This non-profit organization "fights climate change one light bulb, backyard vegetable garden and rain barrel at a time!"

Lily Mejia, the Development Manager of Grow Dat, was the speaker at the Women for a Better Louisiana meeting.

"The mission of Grow Dat Youth Farm is to nurture a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful work of growing food. Our mission requires earth-friendly food production techniques, respectful relationship with land, equitable organizational operations, and positive human interaction." 

The speaker at the Women for a Better Louisiana meeting was Leah Edmonds a board member of the St. Tammany Art Association (STAA). "A primary goal of STAA is to provide exceptional quality arts education to our Northshore community and offer unique educational experiences for school-age children." Among other programs, they offer children ages 6-17 classes in a summer program. 

At the annual end-of-year board meeting of the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair, we reviewed the 2023 Fair and heard about our local students' successes at the Louisiana state fair and ISEF (the Regeneron International Science and

Engineering Fair).

We were excited that our WBL Behavioral Science winner for 2023 [Tides of Stress: The Impact of Hurricanes on Emotion Regulation During a Pandemic" Vaishnavi Kumbala (10th grade) Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies] was a grand award winner at the GNOSEF and went to the state and international fairs.