San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Helms Middle School Profile | Page 1 of 5 Prepared by Public Profit | September 2025 Helms Middle School Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) 2024-25 Community School Demographic Information Number of Youth who benefitted from the SPBSCI: 558 Number of Students enrolled in SPBSCI programs: 29 Number of Students referred through CARE: 112 Community School Highlights At Helms Middle, the Beacon Director coordinated a variety of engaging programs and events for the school community. Most notably, they had a successful partnership with Contra Costa College (CCC), a local community college. CCC brought program coordinators from the Black Male Leadership Mentoring Program, who provided mentorship and presented at Helm’s College and Career Event. The partnership encouraged student leadership and voice. Beyond this partnership, the Helms Leadership Club collaborated to plan events and programs aimed at enhancing their school culture. The Beacon Director provided direct support and a safe space for students to develop their leadership qualities. Lastly, Helms Middle hosted a Beacon Director collaboration Kwanzaa event for Black students and their families to celebrate and come together as a community. Overall, the Beacon Director coordinated a wide range of partnerships, events, and programs to provide a positive school experience for their campus. Youth Survey Highlights 100% of youth respondents felt safe. 100% of youth respondents felt like there was an adult who cares about them. 93% of youth respondents care about school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Helms Middle School Profile | Page 2 of 5 Prepared by Public Profit | September 2025 Youth Outcomes San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies. Youth felt empowered and supported. Survey Item My Program I feel safe in this program. 100% This program has helped me to stay away from fights. 87% This program has helped me to try harder in school. 100% I like this program. 100% Youth developed social competencies. Survey Item My Program In this program the adults care about me. 100% In this program I can go to an adult for advice. 93% In this program I learn how to work out my problems. 93% This program has helped me to say 'no' to things I know are wrong. 100% Youth demonstrated commitment to learning. Survey Item My Program In this program I learn how to make goals. 87% This program has helped me to care more about my school. 93% This program has helped me to pay attention in class more. 100% This program has helped me to like school more. 93% I know what college is. 87% I want to go to college. 100% Source: Youth Survey data, n =15, August 2025. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school. Youth Programming Leadership Club • 7th and 8th graders met regularly to plan schoolwide events like dances, spirit weeks, and rallies. They also hosted a college and career event in partnership with Expanded Learning. • 19 students participated • “I like helping around with several activities and interacting with others. I enjoy being a part of fun and memorable events.” – Youth San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Helms Middle School Profile | Page 3 of 5 Prepared by Public Profit | September 2025 Contra Costa College Mentorship Program • Helms students met weekly at CCC for mentorship, fellowship, and sports. They engaged in discussions about life topics followed by group activities. • 10 students participated Community School Events The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with parents and families. 11 180 19 Events Average Student Attendance* Average Family Attendance* 2024-25 Helms Events Holiday Karaoke Fun Friday Event The school hosted an Ugly Sweater Contest along with a Christmas Song Karaoke and Dance Party on the Friday before Winter Break. The event took place in the cafeteria and featured a live DJ, holiday crafts, and plenty of festive energy. It was a fun and engaging way to build community while also promoting better attendance and strengthening connections with students.
College and Career Event The Leadership Club hosted a station-based College and Career Event featuring college representatives and professionals, including a chef, lawyer, musician, and health educator. Students used passports and scavenger hunts to engage at each station, while Leadership Club members served as guides.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Helms Middle School Profile | Page 4 of 5 Prepared by Public Profit | September 2025 Reading Carnival At the Reading Carnival, students who logged 300+ minutes of reading in April celebrated at the Reading Carnival, supported by the San Pablo Rotary and volunteers. The event featured a DJ, games, face painting, water activities, and a book giveaway. Leadership Club students helped run booths and activities aligning with the Fun Friday attendance and anti-obesity goals.
AAPAC Family Night-Kwanzaa The African American Parent Advisory (AAPAC) Family Night was a Kwanzaa-themed event held in collaboration with all San Pablo schools. Families learned about the purpose of AAPAC and heard from guest speakers with the African American Male Leadership Program at Contra Costa College. The event fostered community across schools and featured a catered soul food dinner, along with Kwanzaa and Christmas holiday crafts. Source: Cityspan Events data, August 2025. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data. Crisis Assessment and Referral Evaluation (CARE) Team At Helms Middle, the CARE team had a strong team and support system to address students’ needs. The Expanded Learning Coordinator also joined the CARE team meetings, which brought another important perspective to the meetings. Ultimately, Helm’s students’ needs were met due to the Beacon Director’s coordination and follow-up with their students. “[The Beacon Director] is on our CARE team and they are very much active…They make sure that they meet often, and they know pretty much every student that’s named or what their needs might be.” – Principal “We have a CARE team, and so we meet weekly…We have a full-time therapist…And we have a BACR intern that comes two times a week. And we have a school psychologist.” – Beacon Director
112 youth referred to Helms CARE Team
20% of Helms students were referred to the Helm’s CARE Team Sources: Crisis Assessment Referral and Evaluation (CARE) data, August 2025; CDE, DataQuest 2024-25 Enrollment Data, accessed August 2025.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Helms Middle School Profile | Page 5 of 5 Prepared by Public Profit | September 2025 Lessons Learned At the close of the interviews, the Principal and Beacon Director reflected on their experience from the past year. “I think everyone just wanted to jump in and change things…and so we’ve grown into knowing how to identify what the actual problems are…We’re going to try to put in some specific intentionality throughout the processes and procedures…and that’s probably our main thing that we’re going to work on. Just enhance the experience for families coming in and maybe look for some more volunteer opportunities.” – Principal “[The Beacon Directors organized] the Kwanzaa event…as a joint San Pablo schools’ event…So many of our schools don’t have a lot of black students, which is a big shift in the demographics…It was such a quick shift…a lot of the schools weren’t able to get their Black families to be a part of AAPAC or come to events…We thought that maybe if we did something together, we could…generate more excitement, and just to do something together that’s never been done. So it was fun to plan it together.” – Beacon Director Plans for Next Year The Principal and Beacon Director also took time to share their plans for the coming school year.1 • Increase family engagement events and continue partnership with City of San Pablo teen lounge. • Provide more mental health support opportunities through counseling and programming. 1 During this transitional year, the Childhood Obesity Prevention Grant is discussed in a separate report. In the future, it will be embedded within the school profiles.