Feature
Drop-outs turn to Tri-City
by Heleen Veenstra
News Editor
“The biggest advantage is be
ing in a small school with no
social classes so they (the
students) can be friends with
everybody,” said Helen Hum
phreys, full-time teacher at Tri
Qty Alternative about their pro
gram.
Tri-City Alternative is a pro
gram, which is connected to
Qackamas Community College,
where high school dropouts have
the opportunity to earn high
school credits or their high school
equivalency, with the goal to
transfer back to a high school, to
a college, or to get a job.
The program is based on in
dividualized instruction. Some of
the students work on their high
school credits which can be done
in Basic English, Basic
Mathematics, Career Explora
tion, Personal Finance, U.S.
History I & II, Government, and
Global Studies.
In the GED program the stu
dent can challenge five different
areas which are English,
Mathematics, Reading Com
prehension, Social Studies and
“They (the students)
need to get into a
school where there are
fewer people and more
attention. ”
Science. This program gives the
students the opportunity to go
through their high school career
faster. “Our GED students are
not going back to high school.”
About the credits students
earn Humphreys said, “All high
schools accept credits we give
for make-up classes.”
The reason for students to
drop out of high school are all
different. Some of the students
come to Tri-City because they
were too late in the semester to
go to a regular high school and
get credits. These students are
mostly students who moved
lere in the middle of the
semester.
Another group are the
students who have been expelled
from high school. Other
students who go to Tri-City are
he ones with family problems,
need to get into a school
here there are fewer people
nd more attention.”
GED students are at Tri-City
ause they need to get
rough their high school career
ast because they have a job and
their families.
Students go to school on Mon
their old high schools or to a new
To keep track of the points
The program for the GED high school where they feel com day, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sandwick keeps a book. “I think
students is based on how to patible.
Thursday from 9-2 o’clock, and it’s a kind of good idea actually,”
prepare for a job by getting
Another purpose is to get on Friday from 9-12 o’clock.
Hayes said.
recommendations and how to students involved in a college
Jon Hayes, student at Tri-City,
Every Monday the students
handle job interviews, Hum situation. Debi Anderson, 16, is a explained that every morning get an assignment sheet with the
phreys said.
student at the program who is they come in they have to check work that needs to be done for
Another group are the
in. He said that students have to the week. On Fridays the
students who got out of “It ’s a lot of work, but call in if they can’t come on time students are supposed to turn in
drug/alcohol programs. These
or at all, so they “gain respon their assignments.
are the students “who do not somehow it's easier sibility.”
Students can earn three high
want to go back to their high than a normal high
The program has a point school credits every nine weeks,
schools where they got in trou school. ”
system so if “you do something and if they worked 65 hours or
ble.”
wrong you lose points.” Each more a term, each student gets
Humphreys explained these taking a typing class at CCC this student starts out with 24 points one credit extra.
students take classes at the Tri- term.
in the beginning of the term.
Concluding how he likes to
Helen Humphreys and Donna With perfect attendance each go to Tri-Ciy Alternative Pro
City program because they do
not want to face their “old drug McDonough are full-time week the student gains five gram, Hayes said, “It’s a lot of
friends anymore.”
teachers, Jerry Gerspach is a points, but for coming late or not work, but somehow it’s easier
Pam Curtis, drug counselor, part-time teacher, and Mildred showing up, points get sub than a normal high school.”
works at Tri-City part-time. Sandwick is a part-time secretary. tracted.
Curtis gives education on the
subject and leads two support
groups. One for chemically
dependent families and one for
the clean and sober.
likes to travel and he has been to own shop. I will probably go to
Students who participate in by Heleen Veenstra
News Editor
Arizona, Manhattan and Southern California then.”
the program are from the south
Debbie Anderson, 16, used to
The atmosphere is nicer, California. Lugo said, “I used
end of Clackamas county.
There is one program in Oregon making friends is easier and be to live in Arizona.” He lived in go to Putnam High School, but
City and one in Clackamas and ing able to set your own work Oregon first, then moved to she dropped out “cause I didn’t
they are both exactly the same. pace. These are some of the ad Arizona and “then we got really like the way Putnam was,
the classes. I decided to come
In each program 150 students vantages students named to ex bored and moved back.”
After the interview Lugo said here and I like it a lot better.”
are involved throughout the press why they like to go to the
“ Work at your own pace in
year. About 30 students are Tri-City Alternative Program. "thanks” and after asking him
there at a time, but they are free The following are the responses for what, he responded, “you stead of being rushed,” is what
got me away from work.”
she likes about this program
to enter and exit from the pro of three students.
Jose Lugo, 17, used to go to
Shawn Teedle, 18, is going to Anderson said.
gram whenever they want, so
The classes Anderson is taking
the number varies.
There are two other programs “7 want to be a fashion designer. I want to go into are Career Exploration, Advanc
ed English and Global Studies.
in the northwest related to Tri-
fashion merchandising first and than I want to start She is also taking a Typing I class
City alternatives. One is the
at Clackamas Community Col
Targeted Learning Center, designing.”
lege.
which is almost the same as Tri-
“I took typing before in high
City, with the exception that it Oregon City High School and is the Tri-City program because
school but didn’t learn a lot, so I
is for adults instead of high going to Tri-City now because “I quit Canby High School.”
“I was kicked out for fighting
school students.
Tweedie said that he has decided to take it again so I could
Vocational Options program is police.”
gone to the program for four team to type better.”
About going to college Ander
a program where the tuition is
“I went here once before and months now and he likes it
paid by the school district and the I like this place.” The first time because “you can do more your son said, “It’s kindda like high
students who go there are in Lugo went to the program for own work. You can be your school, sitting in your desk. Here
people move around a lot.”
terested in becoming job one week.
own person.” „
“I’ve been here for thre?
Lugo said that after that week
prepared.
He is at Tri-City to get his high
“They (the students) are not he left home and quit school. school credits for Literature, terms, I’ll either go back to the
expected to go to the high school, After a year of living on his own English and Career Exploration. high school or to the college to
but we expect them to get a job he moved in with a foster family Career Exploration is a class get my high school credits and get
before they leave,” Humpreys and he started high school in where ’’you evaluate what career my diploma.”
Oregon City. But after three
said about that program.
Getting individual help and months he had to go away and
“7 took typing before in high school but didn ft learn
giving attention to real world now he is going to Tri-City.
issues are courses that are stressed
“It’s work at your own pace. a lot, so I decided to take it again so I could learn to
in the program. Each week the It’s more comfortable and laid type better.”
students alternate between two back,” said Lugo to explain
activities, fieldtrips and guest why he likes this program.
you want, what schools you need
Anderson expressed that she
speakers.
Lugo is studying for his high and where the jobs are.”
went to the Tri-City Alternative
Humphreys stated that even school credits. He is taking Per
Asking for his career plans program instead of college
though students do not stay at sonal Finance, English and “I Tweedie responded, “I want to because “When I started here I
Tri-City for a long time they don’t remember the other one.” be an auto body mechanic.”
was 15 and you have to be 16 at a
come by and visit a lot.
“I want to be a fashion
“My brother went here and got college.”
The purpose of the Tri-Ciy designer. I want to go into his GED and I knew I could get
She said she thought about go
Alternative Program is not to fashion merchandising first and my high school credits here, so I ing to another high school, but
keep students there for a long then I want to start designing.” decided to go here. ” Tweedie said she isn’t sure because she doesn’t
back into He said he wanted to go into that when he is done with his know anybody at another high
designing because “I’ve always credits he will go to Clackamas school.
loved clothes. I think the styles Community College to get his
“My mom talked with my
counselor and he mentioned this,
“7 like to apprentice at a place for a while and then so she called here and found out
about it (the program),” Ander
open up my own shop. ”
son pointed out, to explain how
she got involved in the program.
nowadays are really dumb, so I two year degree in Auto Body
All of the students seem to be
want to design my own.” Mechanics.
happy that they have the oppor
“I would like to go to Europe
Tweedie pointed out that he tunity to go to the Tri-City
to see the styles. I know you became interested in cars “when I Alternative Program instead of
guys (Europeans) are way got my first car and it needed a high school where they
ahead, and this (the American bodywork.
weren’t able to succeed.
styles) is just a joke.”
“I like to apprentice at a place
Lugo pointed out that he for a while and then open up my
Students like informal atmosphere
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