Hamilton Terrace opened in its present form in January 1991, and a year later, the at-risk high school students joined the program. Since 1993, however, the welfare recipients and high school students have gone through Hamilton Terrace together, with unexpected results. School officials report that the welfare recipients communicated a strong message to the teens about the importance of taking school seriously and the lasting consequences of mistakes. The students benefit from the extra attention and advice from adults who are fellow classmates. Lessons are individually tailored to each student s particular learning style.
Class sizes are about half as large as in a traditional high school.
The number graduating from Hamilton Terrace and the percentage of graduates going on to college have increased steadily each year since 1991. By developing an academically rigorous program, Hamilton Terrace has tried to combat the public perception that at-risk students cannot handle intellectually challenging material. Assistant Principal Caddo Parish School Board 1105 Louisiana Ave.