ERATH, LA – At Erath High School, junior Luke Langlinais isn’t just focused on perfecting his performance on the field. For him, and many others in Vermilion Parish, athletics represent something much more.
That sense of pride and purpose is a driving force behind a multi-million dollar investment by the Vermilion Parish School District. With more than $5.5 million in upgrades underway across the district’s athletic facilities, school officials say the improvements are long overdue.
“Our kids deserve something they can be proud of and so do our community,” said Superintendent Tommy Byler.
The sweeping renovations are being funded largely through the Dan Dartez Trust Fund, a public capital improvements trust established during the boom years of the oil and gas industry. The district repays the investment through the fund’s interest, requiring minimal additional local funding, according to Byler.
The upgrades are part of a three-year parish-wide project aimed at improving infrastructure across all schools. Work began on the west end of the parish in Gueydan, where crews resurfaced the gym’s basketball court and added locker rooms for the baseball and softball teams.
In Kaplan, a new locker room was added to the baseball field, and a turf football field is being installed. At North Vermilion High School, students can expect a new concession stand, upgraded restrooms, and a turf field. Abbeville High School recently saw the addition of a restroom facility at the basketball gym, with more improvements planned after football season, including parking lot renovations.
At Erath High School, new bathrooms and a concession stand were added, offering a welcome upgrade.
“I think we’re not going to have to worry about going into some bad looking bathroom and smelly bathroom,” Langlinais said. “We’ll have an upgraded one.”
Byler emphasized the renovations aren’t just about sports.
“Our arts and band programs in Vermilion Parish are top-notch,” he said. “They’ll no longer have to cancel practice just because it’s rained all week. These facilities are for festivals, for youth sports every Saturday morning, for the entire community.”
For students like Langlinais, the changes send a powerful message.
“We’re grateful, and there’s a lot of gratitude towards them for taking the time and money and energy,” he said.
