He went on to be a lawyer, a law professor and a member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He later became the president and CEO of Helix Community Schools, a network of six charter schools in the state.
That is when a tax on the ballot in St. Landry Parish aimed at lifting teacher pay and building new schools failed twice, leaving school board members there with a conundrum they were unsure how to solve at the time.
People then reached out to Castille, telling him it was time to find a way to give back to the parish. He approached the school district and pitched the idea of a school that would focus on this quickly evolving technology, artificial intelligence.
"So we, as Helix, got together with the district and joined forces ... and to do what we've now done and build a new school, which hasn't happened in decades," Castille said.
Now, Castille stands in the hallways of the Helix AI and Medical Academy just south of Opelousas with classes expected to start in August.
The 40,000-square-foot school, which can house upwards of 600 students, will begin teaching students from kindergarten to fifth grade how to utilize and prepare for AI in future job markets, Castille said.
The school has a focus on the medical applications of AI, but students will also use technology to assist with coding and other aspects of a regular school curriculum.
"Children now are starting to explore and understand that artificial intelligence really is a powerful tool," Castille said. "Because it's such a powerful tool. How do we get kids to learn about the concept, become inspired about the concepts and start to develop the building blocks that allow then to use it to create, to invent new ideas? What you're seeing now is the tip of the iceberg."
The school will also adapt over time to keep pace with the rapidly changing technology. It is also looking to partner with nearby hospitals, such as Opelousas General Hospital, and clinics to provide students with hands-on learning and to meet professionals in a desired career field.
AI, or generative AI, was in its early stages when Castille approached the school board around 2022 about his idea. Castille said that the board considered the concept "novel," but it wasn't until applications like ChatGPT went online that the district began to understand the power of AI.
The technology isn't without its critics and controversy. Many teachers believe that students are potentially using it to cheat on assignments. Others suggest that the AI can become a crutch for students.
Castille, who acknowledged the cons of AI, sees it differently.
"It's kind of like the calculator." Castille said. "Once upon a time, that same argument was we don't want kids using calculators because they will use it as a crutch. Now it's understood that that's just a tool."
Which is exactly what Castille sought to prove to his law students when he required them to use AI to write a 35-page paper. The AI was able to generate basic knowledge, and students found that it ultimately served as a jumping-off point for the rest of the assignment.
AI, he noted, is here and is here to stay. Students should learn how to use technology and understand its limitations.
The school is expected to break ground on its middle school section by the end of this year, Castille said, followed eventually by a high school section. He hopes Helix will be able to entice future investing in Opelousas and its flourishing Interstate 49 corridor.
© 2025 The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
