Thursday, March 14, 2013 Gratiot County Herald - Page 5A

Makenna Seaman (left), 14, reviews lessons online as part of the St. Louis Public Schools new CHOICE
alternative education program thats now up and running at the former Westgate Elementary School
under the guidance of teacher Jeff DeRosia (right). (Herald photos Horvath)
Students enjoying new St. Louis
CHOICES alternative program
by Rosemary Horvath
For the Herald
St. Louis High School Principal
Chris Macklin writes poetry, at-
taches thoughts to paper and ex-
plores the outdoors, all activities
hes liked doing since a young
age.
These interests led him through
college majors of English and sci-
ence and a career in education go-
ing on 36 years.
Realizing ones own potential
as he had is the mission Mack-
lin has set for each student of his
schools new CHOICE Alterna-
tive Education program, entering
its eighth week at the Westgate
Building on Cheesman Road.
Open to students in and out
of the district, CHOICE offers a
path to recover and fnish course-
work to graduate but also to look
beyond and have students know
how they want to earn a living.
The program launched Jan. 21
with six students and will have a
workplace component that offers
opportunities of school-work, job
shadowing, vocational-education
and volunteerism.
We all keep saying out loud to
do whats best for kids, said the
St. Louis principal of roughly two
years. Well, we should mean it.
We need to be as creative as pos-
sible to help students fnd some-
thing intrinsic. Too often our stu-
dents are tied to extrinsic values.
Macklin believes educators
today must help students defne
values. Can we turn your inter-
est into something that will make
a living? he said.
For now, students in the pro-
gram work to achieve steadier
ground academically using an on-
line, educational program called
e2020 the e stands for educa-
tion.
Middle school students Maken-
na Seaman, 14, and Christopher
Verstreate, 15, watched the virtual
classroom last week.
Makenna was handwriting
notes for lessons in English gram-
mar as a teacher in a video voiced
instructions while the computer
screen displayed lessons.
This is a lot easier than being
in a big class, Makenna said. I
dont have to hurry, adding she
can review the information if she
needs to.
Jade Herber, 17, prefers not be-
ing distracted as she would in a
larger classroom.
A beneft of the e2020 program
which is available to all St. Louis
high school students is being able
to access the website at home on
a computer.
CHOICE students can spend
one or more semesters in the pro-
gram.
We dont want long-term stu-
dents, said CHOICE teacher Jeff
DeRosia. Our goal is for stu-
dents to return to the regular high
school program once they catch
up to credits.
DeRosia had taught at an al-
ternative education program in
Mount Pleasant until he was laid
off. He had been elected to the St.
Louis Board of Education but re-
signed to teach at CHOICE.
Layne Muscott, 18, and Hunt-
er Wilson, 16, prefer working at
their own pace. Layne was put
off in a traditional classroom set-
ting, losing interest and skipping
homework, saying, I hated the
paperwork.
Hunter hated school and didnt
do homework either. This is the
last resort, he said. Im more
of a visual and hands on type of
learner. I like the videos and I take
notes that help me take quizzes.
Macklin expects to light a fre
in the heart of every student. The
high school has implemented
honors courses in chemistry, alge-
bra II, U.S. History and English.
In these classes the standard
excuses wont cut it, he said.
Staff recommends a students
participation that isnt necessar-
ily based on grades. A person may
need to be challenged beyond his
current capability. Macklin cites
potential, trustworthiness and a
desire to work as reasons to test
their mettle.
Fear is the thing that screws
kids up, the educator said. They
are not willing to take a risk be-
cause they dont want to be
laughed at.
Dael Orlandersmith, a nation-
ally known actress, playwright and
poet from Harlem, visits Alma to
perform a hard-hitting one-woman
play that explores the nature of
male abuse.
Black N Blue Boys/Broken
Men takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday,
March 16 in the Remick Heritage
Center, Strosacker Theatre, at
Alma College. Admission is free
and open to the public.
Dael Orlandersmith is a major
American playwright and perform-
er whose works stand shoulder-to-
shoulder with the best dramas of
our age, says Robert Vivian, asso-
ciate professor of English at Alma
College. Audience members
should expect cutting edge and
riveting theater that isnt afraid to
look at some harsh realities in our
culture namely, the abuse boys
and men of all backgrounds have
unfortunately experienced.
Orlandersmith is the Obie
Award-winning playwright of
Beautys Daughter and a Pulitzer
Prize fnalist for outstanding drama
for Yellowman in 2002.
Because of the serious nature of
its themes, the play is intended for
a mature audience.
Alma College hosting one-woman play
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