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Program helps at-risk students straighten out

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The Wisconsin National Guard is helping students, including some from Portage County, who are not doing well in a regular school setting, find assistance.

The Guard is offering two programs, Challenge Academy for students 16-18 years old, and Badger Challenge, for 14-16-year-olds, to help them straighten out their lives.

Recently, social workers and school staff from Portage County traveled to Fort McCoy via helicopter for a presentation on the Badger Challenge program. They talked with students and saw classrooms used during the nontraditional programs.

Jerry Gargulak, school psychologist at Stevens Point Area Senior High School, set up the trip to let others know more about the programs. He said he finds the programs so beneficial that he serves as coordinator for the program in Region 9 and a resource for mentors.

The programs aren't for everyone, he said, and require a commitment from the students.

They're designed for at-risk students who are not doing well in school, often with problems such as truancy.

The students may need a little discipline, he said, and they'll get that while they work on academics, community service and physical training.

Gargulak said students who may be interested have to voluntarily enter the programs, which run 22 weeks for the Challenge Academy and six weeks for Badger Challenge.

Just wanting to enter the program isn't enough, he said. The academy has to be willing to take the student, who will go through an interview process before possibly being accepted.

The Portage County Health and Human Services Department has been involved with local students, and Gargulak said he and social workers work together, talking about possible candidates for the program.

Then they discuss the program with a student's parents, who usually have a lot of questions.

Students may compare the programs to boot camp, he said, but it is a learning program that runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. They go to classes in the morning, he said, and then do physical training or community service after that.

Team leaders help students during the day, and the students apparently benefit from that help by the time they complete the program. "SPASH has the highest graduation rate of any school in the state from the program," Gargulak said.

But the student's work isn't completed when they finish their time at the program camp.

Each student has two mentors who will work with the student for one year upon completion of the camp.

Gargulak has been serving as a mentor for several years, sending in a monthly report on those students. The student has to continue going to school, get passing grades and not get in trouble with the law, he said.

The program works as a reward system. If the student meets the program requirements, the students will receive a stipend.

Gargulak said some students have excelled after they returned home.

One student is now pursuing an elementary education career, another finished high school a year early and two more only need one more semester of school.

William McCulley, coordinator of the Division of Restorative Care Services in the Health and Human Services Department, came away impressed. "That was wonderful, it's a great program. I was very impressed. I can't say enough about it."

McCulley said he felt the program deals with self-esteem and redirects the energy of the students. The area students had been working with the department for juvenile delinquency and truancy problems, he said, and through the program students learn that they can turn their lives around.

He was impressed with the staff, he said, who made a commitment to give young people a chance.

Deb Wilz, president of the Stevens Point Area School Board, wasn't familiar with the program and says she was impressed during her visit. "I was quite impressed with the students who led the other students through the program," she said. "I was interested in why they were there. I thought that was truly interesting, they're extremely committed to the program."

Others who traveled with her were also impressed, she said, particularly those who had prior contact with the students as they expressed amazement about changed behavior.

Perhaps most telling about the program, she said, was a poster stating "We're not here because of our past. We're here because we have a future."



	Program helps at-risk students straighten out By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette The Wisconsin National Guard is helping students, including some from Portage County, who are not doing well in a regular school setting, find assistance. The Guard is offering two programs, Challenge Academy for students 16-18 years old, and Badger Challenge, for 14-16-year-olds, to help them straighten out their lives. Recently, social workers and school staff from Portage County traveled to Fort McCoy via helicopter for a presentation on the Badger Challenge program. They talked with students and saw classrooms used during the nontraditional programs. Jerry Gargulak, school psychologist at Stevens Point Area Senior High School, set up the trip to let others know more about the programs. He said he finds the programs so beneficial that he serves as coordinator for the program in Region 9 and a resource for mentors. The programs aren't for everyone, he said, and require a commitment from the students. They're designed for at-risk students who are not doing well in school, often with problems such as truancy. The students may need a little discipline, he said, and they'll get that while they work on academics, community service and physical training. Gargulak said students who may be interested have to voluntarily enter the programs, which run 22 weeks for the Challenge Academy and six weeks for Badger Challenge. Just wanting to enter the program isn't enough, he said. The academy has to be willing to take the student, who will go through an interview process before possibly being accepted. The Portage County Health and Human Services Department has been involved with local students, and Gargulak said he and social workers work together, talking about possible candidates for the program. Then they discuss the program with a student's parents, who usually have a lot of questions. Students may compare the programs to boot camp, he said, but it is a learning program that runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. They go to classes in the morning, he said, and then do physical training or community service after that. Team leaders help students during the day, and the students apparently benefit from that help by the time they complete the program. "SPASH has the highest graduation rate of any school in the state from the program," Gargulak said. But the student's work isn't completed when they finish their time at the program camp. Each student has two mentors who will work with the student for one year upon completion of the camp. Gargulak has been serving as a mentor for several years, sending in a monthly report on those students. The student has to continue going to school, get passing grades and not get in trouble with the law, he said. The program works as a reward system. If the student meets the program requirements, the students will receive a stipend. Gargulak said some students have excelled after they returned home. One student is now pursuing an elementary education career, another finished high school a year early and two more only need one more semester of school. William McCulley, coordinator of the Division of Restorative Care Services in the Health and Human Services Department, came away impressed. "That was wonderful, it's a great program. I was very impressed. I can't say enough about it." McCulley said he felt the program deals with self-esteem and redirects the energy of the students. The area students had been working with the department for juvenile delinquency and truancy problems, he said, and through the program students learn that they can turn their lives around. He was impressed with the staff, he said, who made a commitment to give young people a chance. Deb Wilz, president of the Stevens Point Area School Board, wasn't familiar with the program and says she was impressed during her visit. "I was quite impressed with the students who led the other students through the program," she said. "I was interested in why they were there. I thought that was truly interesting, they're extremely committed to the program." Others who traveled with her were also impressed, she said, particularly those who had prior contact with the students as they expressed amazement about changed behavior. Perhaps most telling about the program, she said, was a poster stating "We're not here because of our past. We're here because we have a future."