It’s not every day that a government agency gives a presentation at a high school. But on Jan. 15, that’s exactly what happened.
Teachers attended a faculty meeting and saw two PowerPoint presentations that were similar in message but different in the way that they will affect the student community.
The Department of Justice has brought in the Student Problem Identification and Resolution of Issues Together, better known as the SPIRIT program. Since 1964 it has been an effort to control student conflicts and bridge relations between Stockton high schools and the community at large. Their main goal is to quell racial tensions in high schools across the country. And while some may say that such a problem does not exist on this campus, the program is also setting out to improve student relations with each other as well as Stockton itself.
“SPIRIT is more about tying our school to the community,” Linda Roberts, S-3 Grant coordinator, said. Student interaction will take place over the span of two days where they will engage in discussions of school problems and then set out to find solutions to the problems.
Peer Leaders Uniting Students or PLUS is similar in that it brings students together to better themselves and the school. As a part of the S3 grant, this program puts an emphasis on students banding together to fix important issues, and giving students identity in their school and less on community relations. “It’s meant to create a positive environment for our students,” Gamal Salama, assistant principal, said. “We want to make kids feel like they belong to something bigger.”
The SPIRIT program will be here for a limited time only as it is just a two day workshop. However, the school is putting their efforts into PLUS as a new student based program.
As of now, the details of PLUS as well as SPIRIT have not been fully explained to the student body as a whole. Though some select students have had letters delivered to them inviting them to be a part of PLUS. Jannetha Thon, junior, received one such letter a week ago. “The program could have the ability to bring students together to solve problems, Thon said, “But I think that the people will make the program.”
Student diversity is what the PLUS program has also been stressing as it tries to appeal to a wide variety of students. “We try to think outside the box in terms of student choices,” said Roberts. “Students who can be seen as natural leaders from all groups on campus.”
While SPIRIT is a onetime thing and will likely only stay with Stagg students for a limited time, administrators are hoping that PLUS will have a bigger impact on student progress. If the programs start is successful, it will become an ongoing program of involving students year round.
Perhaps it is still too early to call if these two programs will achieve the goals they set, but as with any other starting point, only time will tell.
