BCLions.com Staff

Lions receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux returned home to his hometown of Alexandria, Louisiana following an outstanding rookie campaign which saw him become a key member of the Lions' receiving corps.  In addition to preparing for the upcoming 2010 season, Emmanuel keeps himself busy during the winter months working as a teacher.  Here is his latest update:

When the season wrapped up in November, I returned to my hometown of Alexandria, Louisiana for a little bit of rest and relaxation before the holidays.  While preparing for the upcoming season has certainly been high on my priority list, I found myself looking for something else to keep myself busy until I return to BC in June for training camp.  Since I've always enjoyed working with kids, teaching seemed like a natural fit so since January, I've been a teacher at my alma mater, Peabody Magnet High School as well as Arthur F. Smith Junior High School.

Since I've been in the classroom, I've realized that this profession has made me more of a humble guy with a better understanding of teenage youth.  After all, T.D. Jakes said, "it's not at-risk children, it's an at-risk environment."  Many of the kids I work with were born and raised in a low income area or a single parent home, so my role isn't always just that of a teacher - more often than not, I'm also a mentor or male figure that isn't present in the household.

Although it's been five years since I was a high school student, it's interesting to see how much has changed since I walked these same hallways and sat in the same chairs that my students do now.  I still remember what it's like to be a kid, though - I'm learning their new lingo and gimmicks because kids always want to pull pranks on their teachers!

As a university graduate who had an opportunity to play football while I was in school, I know firsthand how important an education is for kids who are looking to make their athletic dreams a reality.  With this in mind, I stress the importance of academics in the classroom every day, and as far as extracurricular activities go I'm currently assisting with the high school's off-season football program as well as track and field. 

Even though I've only been working as a teacher for a couple of months, I've already noticed how motivated the kids are, not only in sports but in 'the game of life'.  Without a doubt, this has certainly been an eye-opening and rewarding experience for me.