House Resolution No. ___ commends Sophia Patout and Layla Porter, members of the St. Amant High School Future Farmers of America Chapter, for their outstanding achievement in winning a national championship for their Coastal Restoration Heroes program. This initiative, launched in 2022, addresses the critical issue of coastal land loss in Louisiana, which is occurring at an alarming rate of ten square miles per year. The program focuses on restoring coastal ecosystems on West Grand Terre Island by engaging students in hands-on activities, such as planting native species like Spartina alterniflora and Avicennia germinans to enhance shoreline stabilization and foster resilience against environmental threats.

Sophia and Layla's efforts have not only met but exceeded their program goals, successfully partnering with various restoration organizations and mobilizing student volunteers to plant over six thousand native plants, thereby protecting approximately eighteen acres of saltmarsh. Their commitment to environmental conservation serves as an inspiring model for youth engagement in community and ecological stewardship. In recognition of their hard work and innovative approach, they received the building communities division national championship award from the Future Farmers of America, highlighting their exceptional leadership and civic responsibility. The resolution also calls for a copy to be transmitted to the students as a formal acknowledgment of their achievements.