Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School
Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School, commonly known as HeLa (alternatively spelled He-La), is a high school located in Vancouver, Washington. It is the most recent high school built in the Evergreen Public Schools, and one of six high schools in the district. The school's colors are light blue, dark blue, and grey. The school's mascot is the Phoenix. The school's principal is Julie Tumelty. The school has 35 staff members.
| Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Main entrance | |
| Address | |
| |
9105 NE 9th ST Vancouver , Washington United States | |
| Coordinates | 45.6273°N 122.5794°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary |
| Motto | Rise Above |
| Established | 2013 |
| School district | Evergreen School District |
| Principal | Julie Tumelty |
| Staff | 29.50[1] |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 601 (2018-19)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 20.37[1] |
| Color(s) | Blue & White |
| Mascot | Phoenix |
| Website | http://evergreenps.org/henrietta-lacks |
History
Opening in 2013, HeLa was the sixth high school built in the Evergreen School District. Construction began in 2011. Major funding for the construction of the school came from PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center as well as numerous other hospitals, clinics, and research facilities in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The school was named after Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman who was the unwitting donor of medical research cells (derived from a cancerous tumor) which were cultured to create the first known human immortal cell line.
Academic programs
HeLa High offers students a full high school curriculum with a focus on medical careers. Students choose from five program areas, and can participate in job shadows and internships during their junior and senior year.
The five programs of study are:
- Nursing and Patient Services
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pharmacology
- Biotechnology
- Public health
The curriculum includes all of the basic core classes, math, science, English, and history, as well as their specific science electives. HeLa also offers electives including music, digital arts, world languages, and leadership. HeLa High students are supported by an advocacy program called Helix, The Helix program focuses on student achievement, college, and career goals and advisory capstone research projects.
Clubs and extra-curricular activities
Clubs and extra-curricular activities at HeLa include:
- Spanish Club
- French Club
- Key Club
- Interact Club
- Honor Society
- HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America)
- Science Olympiad
- Science Bowl
- Knowledge Bowl
- Writing Club
- Christian Club
- Red Cross Club
- Gay Straight Student Alliance
- Glee Club
Athletics
Eligible students at HeLa High School who maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and also maintain passing grades in 6 of 7 classes can participate in athletics. HeLa High School students are allowed to participate in athletics at their neighborhood schools.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy
Evergreen Public Schools have adopted a "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) policy which allows students to bring technology devices to school for use in the classroom. Items such as laptops, tablets, netbooks, and cell phones with browsing capabilities can be used for educational purposes only.
See also
References
- "Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 7, 2020.