STEM & Robotics Center — Livingston Parish Public School leaders break ground on construction of a new classroom and administrative building at the Denham Springs High School STEM & Robotics Center. Shown are, from left, Steve McLin, McLin Construction; Jodie Wilson, LPPS maintenance supervisor; LPPS Assistant Superintendent Bruce Chaffin; Denham Springs School Board member Cecil Harris; DSHS Principal Wes Howard; DSHS STEM & Robotics Center Director Mike Simmons; LPPS Superintendent Jody Purvis; Denham Springs School Board members Jeff Frizell and Brad Harris; and Michael Buturla, Domain Architecture.
Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations — Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the flood of 2016, the Federation of Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations hosted its 2026 Stormwater Summit at the Main Library at Goodwood on Aug. 13. The summit focused on weather patterns, flood risk evaluation and resilience, and comprehensive flood protection in the Capital Region. Shown are, from left, are Mayor Sid Edwards; Paul Sawyer, chief advisor, Amite River Basin Commission; Sherry Guarisco, president, Federation of GBR Civic Associations; Steve Oivanki, 2026 Stormwater Summit chairman; Bob Jacobsen, PE, flood & environmental hydrology; and Jay Grymes, state climatologist.
BR Ikebana Chapter 42 — Members of the Baton Rouge Ikebana Chapter 42 recently held a board meeting for the new officers for 2026-27. Shown are, from left, Zoe Magee, Suzanne Nadler, Kay Callander, Yuko Kimura and Diana Tong.
Greater BR State Fair Hall of Fame — The Greater Baton Rouge State Fair honored three longtime volunteers by naming them the latest members of the fair’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 19. The three were named at the fair’s annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the Mockler Beverage Assembly Hall. Gathered are, from left, Cliff Barton, Gertie Feldman and Vince Giaccone.
STEM & Robotics Center — Livingston Parish Public School leaders break ground on construction of a new classroom and administrative building at the Denham Springs High School STEM & Robotics Center. Shown are, from left, Steve McLin, McLin Construction; Jodie Wilson, LPPS maintenance supervisor; LPPS Assistant Superintendent Bruce Chaffin; Denham Springs School Board member Cecil Harris; DSHS Principal Wes Howard; DSHS STEM & Robotics Center Director Mike Simmons; LPPS Superintendent Jody Purvis; Denham Springs School Board members Jeff Frizell and Brad Harris; and Michael Buturla, Domain Architecture.
Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations — Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the flood of 2016, the Federation of Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations hosted its 2026 Stormwater Summit at the Main Library at Goodwood on Aug. 13. The summit focused on weather patterns, flood risk evaluation and resilience, and comprehensive flood protection in the Capital Region. Shown are, from left, are Mayor Sid Edwards; Paul Sawyer, chief advisor, Amite River Basin Commission; Sherry Guarisco, president, Federation of GBR Civic Associations; Steve Oivanki, 2026 Stormwater Summit chairman; Bob Jacobsen, PE, flood & environmental hydrology; and Jay Grymes, state climatologist.
BR Ikebana Chapter 42 — Members of the Baton Rouge Ikebana Chapter 42 recently held a board meeting for the new officers for 2026-27. Shown are, from left, Zoe Magee, Suzanne Nadler, Kay Callander, Yuko Kimura and Diana Tong.
Greater BR State Fair Hall of Fame — The Greater Baton Rouge State Fair honored three longtime volunteers by naming them the latest members of the fair’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 19. The three were named at the fair’s annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the Mockler Beverage Assembly Hall. Gathered are, from left, Cliff Barton, Gertie Feldman and Vince Giaccone.
Livingston Parish Public School System leaders have broken ground on a new classroom and administrative building at Denham Springs High School’s STEM and Robotics Center, creating additional learning space for a program that now serves 850 students.
Three new classrooms, a front administrative office, a small-group meeting room, storage and bathroom space will be part of the $2.4 million addition on a campus that was born out of the devastating 2016 flood.
The STEM Center sits on the site of the former Southside Elementary campus, which suffered extensive damage during the 2016 flood. Most of the school was beyond repair and ultimately demolished, but one portion of the campus remained — a new cafeteria and classroom building that had just opened days before the flood.
That building was restored and used as the core of the Denham Springs STEM Center, which opened during the 2019-20 school year. The STEM & Robotics Center houses classes and extracurricular projects in engineering, robotics, video and digital production.
The new classrooms will house engineering and robotics classes currently taught in the facility’s large gymnasium, as well as a new process technology program aligned with the job requirements of local chemical plant operators.
Construction on the project is expected to be completed in summer 2027, with the facility opening for the 2027-28 school year.

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