
The Mentorship Academy is composed of two innovative high schools: Mentorship Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) and Mentorship Academy of Digital Arts (MADA). The schools were created after a group of innovative community leaders, local business owners, concerned citizens, educators, and private sector personnel noted a dire need in Louisiana’s workforce in the fields of digital arts, science, and technology.
Currently serving almost 300 students, the schools began in July 2010. In only 3 short months, our students have participated in community service projects, presented their learning at our student showcase night, and have begun creating their own online learning portfolios.
There are three major differences between Mentorship Academy and more traditional high schools. First, our students learn through project-based learning. By working collaboratively on authentic projects, our students make connections to real world skills. Second, our teachers and students fully utilize technology, our teachers all have Apple iPads that help them engage today's students through interactive texts and media-rich presentations. Each of our students has a school-provided laptop computer to help them utilize real-world resources. Third, our students participate in internships. It is essential for our students to learn from the community and leaders in their industry of interest around them.
Mission
The mission of the Mentorship Academy is to develop young adults, who learn continuously as our economies and communities change. This is accomplished through mentoring relationships with industry professionals, project-based learning, cross-curricular teaching, and technology integration. The vision of Mentorship Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) seeks to prepare Baton Rouge students for engagement in the petrochemical industry through projects, internships, and collaboration with organizations such as BP America. The vision of Mentorship Academy of the Digital Arts (MADA) is to prepare students for engagement in the growing fields of filmmaking, video game design, and digital media through a collaboration with the many media companies contributing to this growing economy and in coordination with the Baton Rouge Area Digital Industries Consortium.