Por JENNIFER OSBORN

The end of the first term of the 2020-21 school year is quickly approaching. Helix students will conclude their first term classes with finals week Dec. 14-18, then will be on Winter Break from Dec 21 to Jan. 5.

New basketball coach named

Helix is pleased to announce that Jason Cavazos has been named the new Boys’ Basketball coach. He takes over following the retirement of John Singer, who coached at Helix for 39 years.

Cavazos previously played basketball at El Capitan and Grossmont College, and served as El Capitan’s coach for eight years, and their athletic director for six years.

Helix senior recognized as National Merit Scholar semi-finalist

Senior Jeremy Potter has been recognized as a National Merit Scholar semi-finalist.

Over 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

The nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists — representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors — includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

Read with a Scottie tradition continues

In a traditional year, Helix National Honor Society (NHS) runs a booth at the La Mesa Oktoberfest to read with and donate books to local children and families. The Read with a Scottie program has donated over 500 books to attendees each year for the past three years.

The current situation required NHS students to think outside the box to continue the program. They rose to the challenge!

The NHS students recorded and uploaded more than 45 videos of them reading some of their favorite children’s books and created a Read with a Scottie YouTube playlist channel. It can be found at www.bit.do/readwithascottie.

The group will also send the link to local elementary schools and some of the NHS students will be participating in local elementary school class live Zooms to read with the entire class. During the live session, Helix NHS students will hold a raffle and donate a book to the class winner. NHS students are also volunteering to read with students (distanced, of course) at Rolando Elementary on the weekdays.

Performing Arts events

Helix Dance presents “Dancing Under the Stars,” a dance film drive-in movie experience. The film will show on Friday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. in the Helix faculty parking lot. Tickets are $20 per car, and are only available through presale online. Space is limited. For tickets and details, visit www.helixdancers.com.

The Helix choirs proudly present their first virtual concert “Haunted Helix Holidays,” combining their traditional Halloween and winter holiday concerts. The concert premieres Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. on the Helix Vocal Music YouTube channel: bit.ly/3njOI8N

Leave a mark on Helix

Need a great, unique gift idea? The Helix High School Foundation is selling pavers that will be placed in the paver garden in front of the administration building.

It’s a great gift for students, alumni, staff, or anyone who supports Helix. A 4-by-8-inch brick is $100 and an 8-by-8-inch brick is $250.

Proceeds go to support the Foundation’s mission of providing scholarships for graduating Helix seniors. For more information, visit www.helixhighschoolfoundation.com/projects.

— Jennifer Osborn escribe en nombre de Helix Charter High School.