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Getting connectedStudents who get involved early have better chance of doing well
School counselor Jeanne Hultgrenn never met Barry Loukaitis, but she has a theory about the young Moses Lake killer. "I know this young man was disconnected and scorned," she offered. Hultgrenn, a vocational counselor at Pasco High School about 90 minutes south of Moses Lake, spends each working day making sure her kids are connected. Whether it's an elective course, athletics, music or after-school programs such as Scouting, the things that tie kids together and to their communities are what help them succeed. It's not complex, she said. Education research is clear. Success for students depends as much on activities as it does on academics. "It's never too early to start kids connecting," she said, adding that children often show their interests and abilities by age 10. For Pasco student Dan Aldrich, finding a way to nurture his interests may be the thing that's kept him engaged instead of alienated. Aldrich's mom, Regina, said she was nervous when Dan started at Pasco nearly four years ago. With more than 2,400 students, it trails only South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard in size. Regina worried about her son getting lost in the crowd, or worse. Pasco is the sole high school in a district that includes pockets of affluence and extreme poverty. Regina, who went through small schools in a close-knit community, imagined the hallways could be a scary place. "I didn't have any personal experience with being in a school that big," she recalled. Aldrich readily admits he doesn't run with the crowd and isn't attracted by sports. "I'm not athletically inclined, and I don't even try - no sense in making myself look like a - you know," his voice trailing off. At 5-foot-6, he's neither tall nor short, but he is reed thin. He's been picked on because of his size but insists it's not a serious problem. But then no schoolyard bully can really threaten the skills that give the 17-year-old Aldrich a solid sense of self-worth. Dan found his niche in seventh grade when he built a tiny race car in woodworking class. Now poised to graduate, he's taken every wood shop class the district offers. After he exhausted those classes, Aldrich moved on to metal shop. He won $250 in a regional contest for a tripod he designed that stabilizes recreational vehicles. The shop classes form the connection that makes school interesting. "I guess it's the challenge," he said. "The finished product looks nice." The success goes beyond the shop walls, however. Aldrich's transcript consists mostly of A's and B's, and his grade point average is about 3.3. Giving every student a chance to excel at something is key to avoiding the sort of alienation often felt by violent outcasts, agreed Mark Lane, who teaches band and instrumental music across the Columbia River at Kennewick High School. His students have reason to gloat. In April, Lane will lead the Kennewick wind ensemble on a trip to Indianapolis for the National Concert Band Festival. Groups have to audition for the festival, and Lane tried several times before winning an invitation for his students last fall. "Kids want real success, not just numbers on a board," he said. Parents who still trying to help their children find similar successes should cast a wide net, Hultgrenn urges. Schools are a good place to look for classes and extracurricular activities, but they're not the only way to engage kids, she said. Look in your community, she advises. "Church, Scouting. ... These things are all good," she said. It may just be a matter of connecting with the right adult. Aldrich credits Pasco High School instructor Scott Schadler with fueling his interest in woodworking. "It's kind of nice when you have a great wood shop teacher," Aldrich said. Schadler said there's no great secret to connecting with kids - he makes them believe in themselves. "I always set pretty high standards," he said. "Mediocrity isn't enough." |