Hynes Charter School Alumni charity JCB Foundation supports arts in schools

Empowering New Orleans Youth Through Art: JCB Foundation’s Annual Competition Unveils Creative Talents

Hynes Charter School Alumni Charity supports arts in schools; 

brothers founded JCB Foundation in honor of late grandmother Josephine Comeaux Belisle

New Orleans, LA– Hynes Charter Schools alumni Stephen and Connor Goodly, inspired by the memory of their late grandmother, Josephine Comeaux Belisle, have launched the JCB Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to fostering arts education in New Orleans schools.

Josephine Comeaux Belisle, a trailblazer in community service and education, served as the Director of Community Services for the Urban League and made notable contributions during her 31 years at Southern University in New Orleans.

To honor her legacy, her grandsons initiated the JCB Foundation, starting with the sale of their own artwork at Hynes Charter School, their alma mater, where their mother, Angela, teaches. The foundation’s mission is to transform the lives of New Orleans youth through the arts, encouraging them to unleash their creativity for the betterment of their community. 

As part of this initiative, the JCB Foundation hosts an annual art competition, with this year’s theme being “What is Beautiful to Me.”  This year’s talented student winners were middle school students at Hynes-Lakeview and Hynes-Parkview:  Charles Wilton-6^th grader, Paige Norris-8^th grader, Angela Su-6^th grader, and Morgan Breaux-6^th grader. 

“At Hynes, our goal is to shape future leaders who will make a difference in the world, “ said Hynes Charter Schools CEO Dr. Michelle Douglas. “Stephen and Connor have exemplified this since a young age and we are so proud of their many accomplishments.”

The JCB Foundation, now a thriving non-profit, embodies Josephine’s core values and creative arts passion. Angela Goodly emphasized, “Josephine was a proud product of New Orleans Public Schools. When my mother was hospitalized, my sons became her caregivers. Keeping her legacy alive, the JCB Foundation is our way of honoring her amazing life and passion for education.”

Both graduates of Hynes Charter Elementary Schools and Warren Easton Charter High School, Stephen Goodly, Jr. is pursuing natural medicine in Portland, Oregon; while Connor Goodly is studying Criminal Justice at Southern University in Baton Rouge and is a member of the Human Jukebox.

“At Hynes, my boys were taught the value of stepping up when someone is in need, and the importance of art in education as an essential tool for self-expression and creativity. The annual art competition is a platform for young artists to showcase their skills and talents,” said Goodly. 

To learn more about Hynes Charter Schools, click here.

To learn more about the JCB Foundation’s mission and story, click here.

Connor Goodly, Hynes alumnus and JCB Foundation COO and Co-Founder; with Hynes students and award winners Charles Wilton, Paige Norris, Angela Su, and Morgan Breaux; and Stephen Goodly, Jr., Hynes alumnus and JCB Foundation CEO and Co-Founder.