At-Risk: new facilities, higher numbers

By Mary Zielinski
Thanks to the city of Wellman, the Mid-Prairie Alternative Learning Center has tripled its space, which is good because since January, 2008, it has had 38 students. The ALC is housed in the former Senior Dining Site, given to the district rent free. Mid-Prairie pays only the utilities and has the use of the space until the city needs it for library expansion which is at least five years away.
Monday, the Mid-Prairie Board received a report from Amy Shalla, the At-Risk Coordinator, and Kelly Swift, the new At-Risk Advocate, that currently it is serving 26 students. For many of these students, said Shalla, “This is the closest to family that they have.”
With 20 of the students (age range are 16 go 19) living on their own (one is officially homeless), “many have full time jobs. They have to support themselves,” said Shalla, and that obviously makes it difficult for them to attend regular, structured classes.
Additionally, there are other problems such as ADHD, diabetes, schizophrenia and personality disorders. A number also qualify for special education services. Then, there is pregnancies with, noted Shalla, 13 positive pregnancy tests this year; there were six miscarriages or abortions and seven who had their babies. She added that since January, there were six negative pregnancy tests.
“We encourage them to bring their babies,” said Shalla, explaining it gets the students to class and also “let’s us check the babies.” And, yes, “we do teach parenting skills.”
The students also have or had home situations that involved drugs, alcohol, neglect and abuse. There also have been suicides, suicide attempts and hospitalizations.
Both Swift and Shalla told the board that the ALC needs a full-time associate to help with everything from records keeping to serving meals. In fact, for many of the students, “This is the only place they get to sit down and eat with others.”
Volunteers are a big help and Swift said that the involvement of the new Mid-Prairie Caring Community Initiative is a great help.
“We are dependent on the kindness of strangers,” said Shalla.
One of the ALC students, in an interview Tuesday, stressed that often what is needed is someone to talk to, someone to even be a mediator, rather than having DHS step in. She said that often things get blown out of proportion and having authorities step in does not help.
On the positive side, the ALC students have attendance rates as higher a 79, 82 and 97 percent, have two who received GED and two others who earned diplomas who are now in college.