Julie Titone

1. Teenagers line up to use the bathroom during the six-week Ascent program. The camp aims to "redirect" self-destructive teenagers. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 2. Campus consists of several teepees and a few buildings. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 3. Teenagers attend classes and counseling sessions during the Ascent program. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 4. Hard work is a key part of the program, including cutting firewood. Teens likely to run away must wear orange vests. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 5. Fitzgerald

FROM FOR THE RECORD (Wednesday, June 19, 1996): Mel Wasserman founded Rocky Mountain Academy and other CEDU programs for troubled teenagers. Dan Earl was an academy administrator. Their first names were incorrect in a June 2 article. 1. Students learn to conquer obstacles at the Rocky Mountain Academy's Alpine Tower. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 2. Anna Seymour and her fiance, Lee Cunningham, attended Rocky Mountain Academy, but their relationship got them kicked out. Seymour now owns a Sandpoint beauty salon and Cunningham works for an engineering firm. "If it wasn't for that school, there's no telling where I would be," Cunningham says. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Employees of a wilderness therapy program in Utah will stand trial this year, accused of depriving a 16-year-old of food, shelter and clothing. Aaron Bacon died after suffering a perforated ulcer while on a desert outing in 1994. The death of the gangly teenager and three others in the last five years spotlights the limited - and in some places, nonexistent - oversight of programs for troubled teens. "It's a little bit of a madhouse. The rules are different in every state," says Archie Buie, director of the 50-member National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camps.

Kathy Baker's sixth-grade class will gladly loan you a fluffy rabbit, a slimy salamander or a cute white rat - but only if you get on the schedule. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

1. Anna Weisbaum of Lake City Gymnastics cartwheels down Sherman Avenue Saturday during the annual Fred Murphy Pioneer Days parade. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Copyright 1996, The Idaho Spokesman-Review A poll of Idaho voters shows that many of them are unhappy with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Anne Fox - so many, in fact, that a political analyst believes Fox could never be re-elected. Only 17 percent of those surveyed rated Fox's performance as excellent or good. Twenty-one percent said it is only fair; 43 percent rated it poor.

It's back to the drawing board for the Coeur d'Alene School District. Only this time, school officials and architects will be fine-tuning plans for a third middle school instead of looking for a different way to sell its construction to voters.

A vote for education A voter casts his ballot in the Coeur d'Alene School District levy election Tuesday. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Coeur d'Alene School District residents will be asked Tuesday to approve the construction of a third middle school. The existing middle schools, Lakes and Canfield, each have 200 to 300 more students than they were designed to hold. District officials say the $9.5 million supplemental levy is needed to relieve that overcrowding.

Bright futures Colae Deaton, left, and Casey Bartholomew make their way from the gym to Boswell Hall Friday for graduation. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Colleen Kelsey, head teacher at New Vision Alternative School, got a bit choked up as she accepted an award Tuesday from the Idaho Education Association. "There are days when I go home and pull out my hair," said Kelsey. "There are days when I go home and sit and grin."

Students at Post Falls Junior High listen to Donna Parkins, a surgical manager from the Coeur d'Alene Eye Clinic, talk about climbing the professional ladder. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Before honoring retirees and teachers Tuesday night, Coeur d'Alene School Superintendent Doug Creswell told a joke about a youngster who, two days into kindergarten, proclaimed he didn't like school. "And I just found out I have to stay until I'm 16!" the boy said.

Voters in the May 28 primary election will choose which of two conservative, Republican political newcomers they'd like to see run against a conservative Democrat political veteran. Curtis Ellis and Jim Clark both want the chance next fall to defeat Rep. Marvin Vandenberg, D-Coeur d'Alene. Vandenberg, 69, has served nine terms in the Legislature.

Canfield teacher Lynne Peters has more than 30 kids in this class. The school district hopes a new school will ease the pressure on Canfield and Lakes. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

For the past two Friday nights, the North Idaho College gym has echoed with the sound of volleyball players and basketball competition. There were card tables, soft drinks, Twister games and Paul Manzardo with a smile on his face.

Boundary County faces a big cutback in its Head Start program next fall. That means less chance for success in life for low-income children, according to staffers and other fans of the federally funded program for preschoolers.

Ken Burchell, who was booted out of his chairmanship last January, won't seek re-election to the Coeur d'Alene School District board of trustees. Of the various board races coming up in North Idaho, one between Burchell and contender Edie Brooks might have been the liveliest. As it is, Brooks is running unopposed.

For the first time in 25 years, a Roman Catholic school will open its doors here next September. Registration for Holy Family Catholic School will be held this evening. Fifty children from 30 families already have been signed up.

Student fees will rise as much as 10 percent next fall at Idaho's state universities and four-year colleges. The state Board of Education approved the unusually large increases Friday, as it ended two days of meetings in North Idaho.

1. Andrea 2. Coons

Rep. James Lucas' complaints about Idaho Public Television manager Jerold Garber focus on Garber's supposed preference for Boise, and on the amount of educational programming offered. In January, Idaho Public Television learned it would get $700,000 less in federal funding over the next four years. It also lost $100,000 in state funding this year.

An Idaho lawmaker wants to pull the plug on Idaho Public Television's general manager. Rep. James "Doc" Lucas, R-Moscow, says he's disgusted with the way Jerold Garber is ignoring the state's educational needs and pandering to the Boise area.

The state of Idaho won't sue Hecla Mining Co. for at least five years, and will keep working toward an out-of-court resolution over environmental damage to the Coeur d'Alene River basin. In return, Hecla has agreed to continue its contributions to several projects designed to remove heavy metals from streams.