(New Iberia, LA) – The Iberia Parish Foundation (IPF), an affiliate of Community Foundation of Acadiana, announced Wednesday its selection of Daspit Elementary School as the pilot school in Iberia Parish for the Leader In Me.

TheLeader In Me works to educate students and faculty on non-traditional aspects of success that are not typically taught in schools. It teaches students the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st-century economy. The concept is based on the book, The 7 Healthy Habits of Highly Effective People, The Leader in Me, by Stephen Covey and is in use in more than 2,000 schools worldwide.

IPF decided it wanted to bring the Leader In Me to a school in Iberia Parish after its strategic planning session in early 2013. The selection was based on an independent grant application process conducted by the IPF board of directors.

The Leader In Me program will cost $80,000 to implement over a three-year period. This public-private partnership is made possible through the Iberia Parish Foundation, Daspit Elementary School and generous donors. During the unveiling, Dan Alexander, chief financial officer of Berard Transportation, announced that the company will match dollars that have been raised to ensure The Leader In Me is implemented at Daspit Elementary school. Berard Transportation has a history of family members, employees and employee’s children that have attended the school. Alexander said, "We feel very fortunate to make this donation back to the community.”.

Iberia Parish Foundation’s chair, Beau Beaullieu, said, "We’re hoping Berard Transportation’s generosity will encourage others to support this process so that other schools can also benefit from The Leader In Me.”

If you would like to make a contribution to help bring The Leader In Me to other schools in Iberia Parish, please contact Beau Beaullieu at 337.258.8274. For more information, about the Iberia Parish Foundation, please visit www.cfacadiana.org/Iberia.