Haynes Academy Students Graduate as First Engineering Cohort from JP Schools
Seventeen Jefferson Parish Schools students have accomplished a first at a school already known for impressive achievements. The Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies Class of 2022 includes the first ever students from the school and school system to graduate as part of the Pre-Engineering STEM Certification Pathway.
Through a partnership with Louisiana State University, this pathway prepares students to compete in the 21st century by engaging them in understanding the fundamentals of engineering in the classroom as well as in the workplace.
“Career and technical education is for all students, whether their next step after high school is college, trade school, or the workforce,” said JP Schools Superintendent Dr. James Gray. “These graduates represent the first of many students to gain these valuable engineering skills during their time in Jefferson Parish Schools.”
Haynes Academy offers five different engineering classes stemming from the partnership with LSU. Over the course of their high school years, pre-engineering students learn coding, robotics, the math and science of engineering, and lab reporting. They also benefit from universal skills like teamwork, project management, ethics, and communication.
Pre-engineering students earn college credit through LSU as part of a Dual Enrollment class. They also graduate with an Autodesk Inventor Certified User Advanced Industry Based Credential. In addition to the 17 students from the Class of 2022, there are over 50 Haynes Academy students expected to graduate from this pathway next school year.
2022 JP Schools Teacher of the Year Catherine Coats leads the program at Haynes Academy. She earned numerous certifications from LSU to allow her students to receive credit in these classes. Coats’ students also benefit from her 21 years of experience as an engineer.
“I am just so happy that I can help these students see some of the options that are out there for them and how big the world is,” said Coats. “I want my students to know that the unreachable is reachable, and I want to help them get there”
The LSU Pre-Engineering STEM Certification Pathway is one of the ways Jefferson Parish Schools is working to ensure graduates are ready for a career or college. Just last school year, JP Schools students set a new record by earning over 9,200 Industry Based Certifications. The state named JP Schools a regional leader for its Fast Forward program. This bold move to rethink career and technical education has earned national attention.
Haynes Academy Pre-Engineering Graduates
- Razi Ahmed
- James Batten
- Nandini Das
- Oumar Diedhiou
- Walid Elsayed
- Joshua Farley
- Devon Heflin
- Abdelaziz Jwayyed
- Adam Kazmi
- Haley Kirtland
- Peng Lin
- Isabella Loyacono
- Steve Romero
- Logan Soriano
- Lance Troost
- Isabella Voltolina
- Nathan Wandera