By Jennifer Osborn
The end of the 2018-19 school year is rapidly approaching, and it’s time to celebrate. Commencement ceremonies for the class of 2019 will take place on Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m. in Benton Hart Stadium on campus. More than 500 graduates will cross the stage and accept their diplomas. Tickets are required for admission — a limited number are provided to each graduate.
There are plenty of activities leading up to graduation. A tradition at Helix is Signing Day, but this Signing Day isn’t just for star athletes committing to play for a university. All Helix students who have committed to four-year universities are recognized for their accomplishments, then they sign a certificate on stage in the Performing Arts Center in front of family and friends. Almost 90% of Helix students profess plans to attend college following high school, and half of those plan to attend a four-year institution. This is the fourth year Helix has held this event. Approximately 100 students participated.
According to the research, education after high school is a critical part of a successful future. College graduates have more opportunities than those who choose not to pursue their education past high school. In fact, according to Georgetown’s Center on Education and Workforce, college graduates are set to make 84% more over their lifetimes than high school graduates.
We wish the class of 2019 all the best as they celebrate their last days of high school!
Safe Sports School award
Helix is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its Sports Medicine Program. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that have met the recommended standards to improve safety in sports. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.
In order to achieve Safe Sports School status, athletic programs must:
- Create a positive athletic health care administrative system.
- Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations.
- Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities.
- Plan for selection, fit function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment.
- Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes.
- Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions.
- Provide or facilitate injury intervention.
- Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan.
- Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education.
- Be sure athletes and parents are educated about the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities.
Highlander Open Golf Tournament
The Helix High Foundation is hosting its annual golf tournament fundraiser on Friday, June 7 at Carlton Oaks Golf Course. Proceeds from this event will help to provide financial assistance for graduating students. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $50,000 for student scholarships. If you’d like to play or be a tournament sponsor, check out the Foundation website at helixhighschoolfoundation.com.
Student accomplishments
The Business Career Path students competed in the Junior Achievement Company Program against 18 teams from Canyon Crest Academy, Torrey Pines, Westview, and Grossmont. The following teams represented Helix:
- Punrise: Victoria Slocum, Ben Potter, Ronald Rojas, Elias Gracia
- adolEssence: Numi Filemoni, Delana Hatchett
- U-Bracelets: Bianca Soltero, Jake Souza
- adolEssence placed third and their business could potentially be invited to the National JA Competition in Washington D.C. in June.
The Speech and Debate Team took ninth place at the California High School Speech Association State Championships out of more than 160 participating schools. Individual accomplishments include:
Finalists
- 1st place – Original Prose Poetry – Kyra Payton (STATE CHAMPION)
- 3rd place – Duo Interpretation – Will Harris/Shane Robles
- 3rd place – Oratorical Interpretation – Eileen Diaz
- 4th place – Oratorical Interpretation – Jonah Leota
- 4th place – Original Oratory – Mahamed Abdulahi
- 3rd place – Duo Interpretation – Eva Anderson/Blake Tannehill
- 7th place – Program Oral Interpretation – Elaine Alfaro
Semifinalists
- 11th place – Oratorical Interpretation – Jasper Monteith
- 12th place – Humorous Interpretation – Luke Babbitt
- 13th place – Dramatic Interpretation – Ashley Simmons
- 13th place – Impromptu Speaking – Madeleine Denison
The Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program took 2nd place in the State Engineering Design competition held at UCLA. Winning students were Mahmoud Salem, Rachel Hua, Alex Chau and Miguel Talamantez.
The Advanced Choir — Highland Singers — received a Superior Rating and took a second-place win against choirs from all over the Southwestern U.S. at the Music In The Parks Festival at Universal Studios!
Students from the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) program brought home $16,000 in scholarships at the annual banquet, and one student won an all-expenses paid camp in Denver to compete and collaborate with other ACE students at the University of Denver. The group’s project featured a new stadium for San Diego. They designed the elements, then built a realistic model that was presented at the banquet. Scholarship recipients include:
- Zeus Lefort: $2,500
- David Nguyen: $2,500
- Patrick Rann: $1,000
- Uriel Lopez: $1,500
- Fernando Pluma: $1,500
- Fernando Sandoval: $1,500
- Ethan Henry: $2,500
- Nick Smith: $1,000
- Bryan Quezada: $1,000
- Ryan Trainor: $1,000 (+ camp award)
— Jennifer Osborn writes on behalf of Helix Charter High School.
