Mahoning Co. High SchoolSFlbdeserves national spotlight

Seven years ago, when Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick and others in the Mahoning Valley launched a special high school, a goodly number of residents were of the opinion that the concept was doomed to fail.

After all, the goal was to provide a last chance to students who had dropped out of their home schools – or were on the verge of dropping out – had been expelled or had dealings with the juvenile court.

But the sponsors of the dropout- recovery community school, the Mahoning County Educational Service Center and the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center, were undaunted. Judge Dellick, the driving force behind the idea, and officials from the ESC and Youngstown State University believed these young people not only deserved a chance to turn their lives around but would respond positively to teachers and administrators who showed a keen interest in them personally and in their academic futures.

It was slow going at the beginning, but when the first high school graduates walked up on stage to receive their diplomas, nonbelievers began to see the light.

Area school superintendents, principals and teachers took an interest in what was going in the building that once housed Sheridan Elementary School in Youngstown, while parents and guardians and political and community leaders offered support and encouragement.

SUCCESS AND GROWTH

As word spread locally and statewide, the Mahoning County High School’s enrollment began to grow – and has kept growing.

With each milestone, the stories of the school’s successes gain in credibility.

With the growth in enrollment came the need for larger quarters. Thus, the school moved to the former P. Ross Berry Middle School building on Youngstown’s East Side.

But it is each graduating class that provides proof of the school’s effectiveness and importance. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that without the MCHS, many of the students would have ended up on the dangerous streets of Youngstown.

This year, 30 graduates took home diplomas, bringing the total number to more than 200. That’s impressive by any standard, but when you consider that the student body is made up of dropouts or individuals who have been expelled, the outcomes are very significant.

The success of the school has attracted the attention of state and federal officials involved in trying to keep young people out of the court system and on the path to academic achievement.

Judge Dellick, who has remained unwavering in her belief that at-risk young people in the area deserve all the help they can get, has dealt with the highs and the lows that come with such a unique initiative.

When the juvenile court received a three-year, $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, to keep students in school by identifying those at risk of joining gangs, it was a major milestone for the last-chance program.

Another will come this month when Judge Dellick and Jennifer Merritt, superintendent of the Mahoning County High School, attend a conference at the White House. The policies and positive climate that are the foundation of the school have become models for similar initiatives throughout the country, and Dellick and Merritt will be on hand to provide important insight.

WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE

Each MCHS student is assessed to determine his or her personal and academic needs. Given the number of young people who come from homes that could best be described as dysfunctional, the school provides food, safety and clothing.

As Judge Dellick and Merritt have pointed out, the key is to understand the challenges the students face on a daily basis just to get to school.

“Suspension or expulsion is not an option here,” the juvenile court judge says of the MCHS. “They need to be in school for their education.”

But it is the following statement from her that defines what the school is all about: “Imagine being a teenager and having no hope.”

When Judge Dellick and Merritt are in the White House, they will be able to tell a story that has had a happy ending for many. We believe their presence at the conference will open doors to significant federal assistance and support.

President Barack Obama needs to pay attention.