Helix Community Schools is Investing in Innovation

By Take Note BR

Helix Community Schools is a homegrown network of schools headquartered in Baton
Rouge whose vision is to offer unique career pathways and rigorous, innovative
academic experiences. Their goal is to provide education environments that empower
students to transform themselves, their families, and their communities. With its current
network of diverse and successful schools: Helix Mentorship STEAM Academy, Helix
Aviation Academy and Helix Legal Academy, school leadership is now looking to expand
its footprint and invest in impact across the state.

Helix Mentorship STEAM Academy was the first of the portfolio schools to open its doors
and did so 12 years ago in downtown Baton Rouge. The STEAM Academy campus offers
courses in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics and is proud to be the
top performing open enrollment high school in East Baton Rouge Parish. At this campus,
students are able to participate in specialty programming such as JROTC. The academy’s
Air Force JROTC program is the only of its kind in the area and currently has 130 cadets
enrolled.

Helix Legal Academy, was established in partnership with Southern University Law
Center to provide middle school students with lessons in advocacy, argumentation,
critical thinking, research and negotiation. This campus is also located in downtown
Baton Rouge, in proximity “state and federal courthouses, dozens of law firms, the
Louisiana Legislature, and City Hall and is centrally located to provide its students with
real world exposure to the legal profession.” The school allows teachers autonomy to
instruct students in ways that are innovative, engaging and relevant.

Helix Aviation Academy is likely the most popular of all the Helix campuses, as the only
school of its kind in the state of Louisiana. This campus was conceptualized with
intention over five years ago when there were studies showing that there would soon be
a shortage of aviation professionals. Helix Community Schools again decided to invest in
innovation by planting the Aviation Academy in a proactive effort to\ be the solution to
that problem. The aviation academy is located at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport
(BTR) in North Baton Rouge and allows students access to real aviation professionals and
experiences, such as discovery flights with volunteer pilots from across the state. The
campus itself is housed on an active airfield within a 10,000 square foot hangar.

Helix Community Schools is continuing to invest in innovation in the future with plans to
open additional campuses as early as Fall of 2024. St. Landry Parish will be home to AI
and Medical and Agriculture and Energy academies.
For more information on Helix Community Schools, visit:
http://helixcommunityschools.org/