ST. HELENA - The new school year is about to begin in St. Helena Parish and officials say students can look forward to unique experiences designed to assist them after they graduate high school.

St. Helena College & Career Academy students will get different business opportunities and have the chance to work in one of the stores inside the school for student internships and community service.

Those include Neighbors Federal Credit Union, Otis Spunkmeyer, Papa Johns, Smoothie King and PJ's Coffee. LaTia Brown, Director of Postsecondary Opportunities with St. Helena Parish School District, says it is a good way to set them up for life after high school.

"Being in a rural area we have a gap between opportunities and access that we have here with economic development, so by bringing those projects onto our campus I think it closes that gap a little bit more, and our kids can benefit from that," Brown said.

Security in schools has been enhanced with the addition of metal detectors, new surveillance cameras and the deployment of resource officers. At St. Helena's Early Learning Academy, they have implemented panic buttons around the school that, when pressed, alerts officials of a potential intruder.

"We want to ensure school safety, that our number one priority, the safety of our learners on our campuses. So just providing that extra measure of safety definitely gives some sense of comfort to our staff, learners and community," Brown said.

Also new in the district, parents of bus riders will be able to track the buses and their routes on the 'NFT Parent View" app.

"Our buses are being tracked. Anytime there is a delay in their kids' arrival home they can check the app to track those buses," Brown said.

Brown said in response to the recently passed law that requires the Ten Commandments to be posted in public classrooms, that St. Helena Parish will follow the leader.

"Just like every other parish we are going to implement anything that the governor has passed down to us," Brown said. "I haven't heard much pushback on it, but I know we will be on board with everybody else."

Brown said this year is about enhancing the lives of the students in the parish.

"This school year is all about outcomes, we're also in the process of developing more systems and structures in place so people should be excited about that," Brown said.