Honoring Ruston and Troy Henry’s Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
St. Augustine High School celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the Ruston and Troy Henry Field and Circle of Champions, a historic moment for the school and community. This new field, a generous gift from alumni Ruston and Troy Henry, symbolizes much more than a sports facility. It represents the power of giving back and the impact that commitment can have on future generations.
Ruston and Troy Henry, both successful businessmen, donated the final million dollars needed to complete the field. This project took years to come to fruition, and their gift is a testament to the commitment they feel for their alma mater and the future of its students. The Henry family’s matriarch, Mrs. Elvira Henry, proudly attended the ceremony, beaming with pride at her sons’ achievement.
St. Augustine: A Unique Legacy of Excellence
St. Augustine High School stands as a unique institution: a Black, all-boys Catholic high school consistently ranking among America’s best. Every year, St. Augustine sends graduates to top universities, including Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dame, and Xavier University. The school also ensures that all students attend college or join the military, showing an unwavering commitment to preparing young men for success.
Despite these accomplishments, St. Augustine faces significant challenges. Many parents now prefer to send their sons to predominantly white schools, believing they offer better opportunities. Additionally, the rise of free charter schools attracts some talented students away from St. Augustine. Despite these pressures, the school remains a pillar of discipline, excellence, and leadership. Without exception, St. Augustine is not only one of the best schools in Louisiana, but also in America.
New Leadership and Renewed Commitment
Under President Aulston Taylor, St. Augustine has reached new heights, including the addition of this exceptional new practice field. In his address at the ribbon-cutting, Taylor highlighted the school’s momentum and dedication to creating opportunities for its students. This field serves as a field of dreams, commitment, resilience, and excellence.
Role Models in the Community
Role models like Ruston and Troy Henry are rare and essential. For St. Augustine students, these alumni exemplify hard work, dedication, and success born from discipline. Their donation is a lasting example of giving back and investing in a community that shaped them. This field will remind students of the importance of supporting future generations and providing the resources they need to succeed.
The Importance of Community Support
Ruston and Troy Henry had help realizing this field’s vision. Former board member John Georges played a major role in fundraising for the project. Georges thanked Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, who, after conferring with former board chair Justin Augustine, wore a beautiful purple dress to honor the occasion. The project began as an idea from Dr. Dwight McKenna, a St. Augustine alum and current New Orleans coroner. Together, these leaders turned a vision into reality, creating a facility to serve St. Augustine students for years to come.
More Than Just a Field
This field represents much more than a practice space. As Troy Henry explained, this field will instill discipline, commitment, and teamwork—qualities vital to success. Ruston, a former center on the school’s championship football team, spoke of the field’s impact on every young man who steps onto it. For these students, this field is a place to learn resilience, develop pride, and work toward their own accomplishments.
Related: Dismantling Public Education
The Power of Giving Back to Strengthen the Community
For St. Augustine, giving back is an investment in resilience and opportunity. The Ruston and Troy Henry Field will inspire young men to aim higher, work harder, and pursue excellence. It stands as a powerful reminder of the strength that grows from community support.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marks a new chapter for St. Augustine High School and the broader African American community in New Orleans. Ruston and Troy Henry’s donation is a gift to St. Augustine and to every young man who will practice on this field, learning discipline, teamwork, and excellence. This field stands as a symbol of commitment, resilience, and hope for future generations.
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu
Publisher — Black Source Media
Jeff Thomas
Publisher • Opinion Columnist • New Orleans
Jeff Thomas is the publisher of Black Source Media and one of New Orleans’ most direct voices on civic affairs, economic justice, and Louisiana politics. He writes from the intersection of experience and accountability — as a licensed general contractor,a tech company founder and executive with over 30 years experience, and a businessman who has worked across the city’s civic, media, and construction ecosystems for decades.
His Sunday column covers Louisiana legislative politics, insurance discrimination, housing policy, and the forces shaping Black community life in New Orleans and across the state. Thomas writes in the tradition of Black journalists who hold power accountable without apology — building arguments from data, delivering verdicts from evidence, and speaking to Black New Orleans with the directness the moment demands.
He is also the principal of EA Inspection Services, LLC, a government inspection services company. Black Source Media is his platform for the civic conversation New Orleans has needed and too rarely had.
Selected Articles by Jeff Thomas
Black Neighborhoods Pay the Highest Insurance Rates in Louisiana. Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know.
They Didn’t Yell the N-Word. They Went to Law School, Bided Their Time, and Rewrote the Constitution Instead.
Vappie vs. Morrell: Why Does Justice Look Different in New Orleans?
The State Has the Money. New Orleans East Just Needs Them to Use It.
The Failure of Mitch Landrieu