journey and sky. last year journey won top reader award. sky is a wonder woman. she can do anything, and she tries everything because they give them that courage. reporter: for melissa bee, innovation and creativity is what her son tristan needed. i m thrilled we were able to choose the type of school that would be taylilored to my stude. reporter: the student body is 50/50 black and white from affluent and disadvantaged families. we believe bringing kids together from diverse backgrounds is a great way to increase equity, to increase empathy, and to catalyze creativity. reporter: when hurricane katrina hit in august of 2005, the public schools of new orleans were considered among the worst in the country. the storm damaged and destroyed most of those schools, including ones like this, abandoned for ten years. the state of louisiana seized more than 100 schools, fired