Turning adversity into advantage

When Marshall Green enrolled as a junior at New Vision High School in the fall of 2006, he had five credits on his transcript and a police record. Under New Vision’s no-nonsense, one-on-one approach, Green turned his life around, caught up with his schoolwork and will graduate on time this month.

Green grew up a typical North Idaho boy, enjoying snowboarding in the winter and boating and camping during the warmer months. He listens to heavy metal, goes to see local bands play and enjoys video games. Halfway through his high school career, though, he lost his way.

The way Green tells it, his story is a simple one.

“I got involved with some bad kids, and doing school just lost its importance,” Green said.

He started using drugs and alcohol. He skipped classes and felt adrift in the large population of students at Post Falls High School. Green said he did not react well to the pressure of the traditional school setting.

“It seemed to me that he got lost in the crowd,” said his mom Arlene Green. “He’s a bright guy and he just felt that no one cared whether he went to school or not.”

The youngest of three boys, Green found himself in his brothers’ shadow from his first day in high school. His older brother, John, had been very successful at sports and academics, while the middle son, Brent, had taken the opposite path, eventually dropping out and earning his GED.

“Green was having to live up to the legacies of his brothers, and they were so contrasting,” Arlene Green said.

After a run-in with the law, however, Green said he gained a new perspective.

“I got tired of being the outcast. I knew I had to change and get back into school,” he said.

His parents looked around for a way to make that happen. Green had a friend who’d had a positive experience at New Vision and they decided to give it a try.

New Vision is small. A staff of six teachers oversees a little more than 80 students. According to Green, there are four classrooms and four classes each day. The students enjoy a close relationship with their teachers and a feeling of community among the students.

“It’s more one-on-one with the teachers,” Green said. “If you fall behind, you can stay later and there’s always time to work with the teachers.”

The school has zero tolerance for the kinds of disobedience – pranks and back talk – that may be routine at other schools. It also has no tolerance for drugs and alcohol.

“They successfully got that through to the kids and they understand that, while this isn’t the last chance, it’s close to the last chance for them,” Arlene Green said.

Green thrived in the new environment. During the day, he worked hard and caught up with his classes. At night, he worked at the Coeur d’Alene Inn as a banquet server. He cut ties with the bad influences and became involved with the community. He joined the American Legion honor guard, participating in funerals and parades. He volunteered for various Kootenai County mentoring programs and helped New Vision win a food drive competition this year.

Now, Green said he is working so he can move into his own place. He applied to NIC and wants to major in social work, eventually becoming a probation officer.

“I just kind of want to help kids that have been in my situation and help them get out of trouble and do good with their lives,” Green said.

If Green wandered off the standard high school path, he’s now turned that adversity into an advantage and wants to help others find their way through the wilderness.

“I’m really proud of how he’s turned his life around and how he’s set himself goals,” his mom said. “I think he’s going to be an excellent member of his community.”