September 20, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
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ends a year-long faceoff between farm stand owner Lee Dixon and the
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Page A-8 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Dr. Dale McDaniel, teacher and director of the GRAVITY program,
helped create the program two years ago to help at-risk students who
have already dropped out of school achieve their GEDs and pursue jobs
and higher education.
students
gives
By NATALIE JOHNSON tutor, advocate, guidance counselor and
nalalie@masoncounly.com at times surrogate parent, guiding at-risk
students through the process of achieving
their GED and entering the world: of work.
In the fall of 2010, the Mason County After a student achieves their GED while
GRAVITY program was born with the in- enrolled in GRAVITY, the program can con-
tention of signing up eight students for tinue to help them past further struggles.
GED tutoring and other support programs "That next barrier might be something
for at-risk students who have dropped out as simple as work boots," he said.
of school. Through the program, McDaniel has
High demand instantly expanded the helped participants get money for licenses
program, which stands for GED Recovery, and certifications to further their career
Alternative Vocational, Individual Transi- -- such as a food handler's permit -- buy
tions for Youth, to 20 students, textbooks, purchase gas to get to class and
Today, 40 students between the ages of clothes for interviews and jobs.
16 and 21 work with the program to earn "One of the simplest things we can do is
GEDs, with unique teaching and tutoring pay $23 to have their birth certificate print-
methods tailored to individual learning ed,', he said,:"Each little barrier we remove,
styles, they kind of start on a roll." '
"We can ... see where they got hung up Through the counseling and advocacy
at. We don't get any further until they get components of the program, students also
past that," said GRAVITY education advo- learn soft skills. McDaniel said these in-
cate Donna Duke. dude interacting with people in an inter-
This month, the Mason County GRAV- view or job situation, and understanding
ITY program was approved by the Office of how to dress and act to succeed in social
the Supergntendent of Public Instruction as situations.
part of the reengagement school model, one McDaniel said he has also grown from
of only three such schools in the state, the program, and expanded his knowledge
The new title distinguishes the GRAV- about the causes and effects of youth home-
ITY program from other alternative school lessness, which often leads to students
models, and gives it more freedom to tai- dropping out of school.
lor education to individual students' needs, "Every one of these 40 kids is really dif-
said Dr. Dale McDaniel, a teacher and di- ferent -- I always thought I knew what
rector of the GRAVITY program, would cause a kid to live on the street," he
McDaniel, a former school superinten- said. "I've been wrong most of the time."
dent, helped create the program in Shelton McDaniel said many of the students in
two years ago. the program became homeless and dropped
Each of the 40 students currently en- out of schoo~ because of financial pressures
rolled in the program receives one-on-one or medical emergencies within their fam-
instruction and counseling tailor-made to ily. He said many of the students are very
suit their individual needs, bright, talented students who just didn't do
"We're trying to build the school around well in a traditional classroom setting.
their strengths rather than their weak- : Of the 40 students currently eniotled in
nesses," McDaniel said: the GRAVITY program, 23 have received
Instructors like McDaniel help students their GED and are either pursuing higher
with GED prep work, then transport them education or a technical degree, McDaniel
to South Puget Sound Community College said. : ....... ~ ~- :