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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane’s On Track Academy fights poverty with education

On Track Academy students Kylee Wing, left, Hannah Jameson, her back to camera, and Jared Burns take a selfie picture with Don Simpson, dressed as the “Winnie the Pooh” character Eeyore, and Destiny Wilkes as Sully from the animated movie “Monsters, Inc.” Thursday on the Spokane Community College campus. Over 170 students participated in the senior retreat that included meetings with teachers, an art project and a scavenger hunt. Finding the costumed characters on campus and getting a stamp or a picture was part of the hunt. (Dan Pelle)

Spokane students in a program for would-be high school dropouts groaned with disbelief on Thursday when they learned they’ve been labeled based on their socioeconomic status.

Close to 75 percent of On Track Academy students live in poverty. Teens in the program designed to help students catch up on credits so they can graduate on time were told that growing up poor often means they are dumber, won’t go to college and are more likely to die young.

A senior retreat held for 175 seniors in Spokane Public Schools’ credit-retrieval program encouraged students to remove those labels by going to college.

“Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequity and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth,” said Lisa Mattson, On Track Academy principal. “You must not stop. You must keep going.”

The daylong program held at Spokane Community College is one of many ways the school’s leaders try to familiarize students with the idea of education beyond high school. The teens were encouraged to think about their future, embrace their passions by furthering their knowledge and learn more about what it takes to go college.

Teacher Chris McCallum gave students this piece of advice: “You just have to remember how you would eat an elephant – one bite at a time.”

Lacey Murray seems to have taken that approach. Although she became pregnant at age 15 and cares for her 18-month-old daughter, she’s only three credits away from high school graduation.

By enrolling in On Track Academy last summer she’s caught up in school. The 17-year-old also took advantage of a grant-funded program that paid for her college application fee and entrance exam. She’ll attend Spokane Falls Community College this fall to study early childhood education.

“I’m really excited to get to show my daughter it can be done,” Murray said.

Studies show that a student has to be on a college campus 17 times before they feel comfortable in a college setting, said Deb Crapes, On Track Academy’s career specialist. Teachers and students visit educational facilities every other Friday, including technical colleges and apprenticeship halls. Since September, they’ve been to 21.

Crapes also helps students with financial aid forms, college applications and setting appointments for college-entrance tests. Many of the students are first in their family to be heading to college and some are first in their family who will graduate from high school.

“The more opportunities they have are only better for them and for the community,” she said.

Kalena Quilt gets it.

“College is important to get me started in my career,” the 18-year-old said. “I think it would be cool to be the first in my family to graduate from college.”