Record run to boost alternative high school

BY SUE LAHOUD / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

Nisy Phan almost died from stab wounds eight months ago. It was the culmination of hanging around with `` groups that fight,'' as the 18-year-old puts it, which started when he was about 10.

`` I could not pay attention to school,'' says Phan.
Now, he's attending class at Attleboro High School's Network Program and working a paid internship at Manny's Auto Repair shop on the Attleboro-Rehoboth line.

Phan is also among the students and staff at the alternative high school who are working on a campaign aimed at educating the community about the program and to appeal to other at-risk students and their parents about the importance of getting an education.

Martin Tighe, the adjustment counselor for the program, will attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the most miles run on a treadmill in a 24-hour span in the campaign which is being dubbed `` Go The Distance.''

The event will be held in the front lobby of the high school running from 12 noon. April 29, to 12 noon April 30. Community booths are planned along with `` mini-challenges'' from community teams which so far include members of the police and fire departments, the Attleboro District Court's probation department and the Attleboro YMCA.

The theme of the campaign is a message that is underscored at the school and one which Tighe's students say he is yet again affirming in his latest challenge.

Marathon man Tighe, 46, a marathon and ultra-marathon (over 30 miles) runner, won the first-ever North Pole marathon in 2003, raising roughly $20,000 for city programs for students at risk.

His goal, at the time, was to encourage students to pursue their dreams.

The focus of his effort this time is to encourage kids to stay in school as a way of helping them to achieve their dreams.

It isn't surprising to Phan that Tighe would take on this new challenge.

`` I think he can achieve his goal as can his students,'' says Phan, who on this day at the program in the old Brennan middle school on County Street is dressed in a blue and white football jersey with a blue and white Kansas City baseball cap with other writing which he said are symbols for Asians -- all to color coordinate with his sneakers.

`` I've had so many issues in my life,'' says Phan. And he said while it was ultimately his choice to turn his life around, Tighe and other teachers at the program have inspired him and other students `` to achieve our goal and not drop out because we will have a better life.''

The Network was started about seven years ago and is an alternative special needs program for students at risk of dropping out of school.

There are 36 students and a staff comprised of one director, an adjustment counselor, three teachers and three instructional learning assistants. There is also an advisory board made up of representatives from the school, business, parent and student communities.

The curriculum is the same as the high school, except that it is taught in a more intimate atmosphere with a more `` realistic'' approach, according to school officials.

There is a learning through internships program where students are paired with their interests in participating businesses in the community.

The Network Program is designed for students who have a desire to earn a high school diploma and have been unsuccessful, for any number of reasons, in previous educational settings.

The students generally have behavioral or other issues and are referred to the program by a team of educational specialists. Speech and language, reading instruction and tutoring are provided by support staff based on a student's individual education plan, as required by the state.

A great number of parents of the students did not complete high school, says Tighe. He said parents play a role in the program by speaking to the students about their experiences as well as being involved in their children's education planning.

Some of the students have failed three or four years in traditional high school settings, says Kathy Vespia, who worked 25 years as a school psychologist before heading up the Network.

A number of students have other agencies involved in their lives, such as the state departments of youth services and social services.

Proof of the success of the program, say administrators, is in the numbers.

Data from the Network Class of 2003, for example, shows significant improvement in the number of academic credits earned by students one year following their placement in the program. A handful of students had no credits whatsoever before being placed in the program.

One student went from 0 to 40 credits in that amount of time.

In every instance, MCAS test scores rose. (Some students did not participate in the year prior to placement in the Network, which meant their score was 0.) Vespia said the gains in credits and higher test scores are tied to better attendance by students who frequently skipped school in the past.

But there are other things that pure statistics don't show, she said.

`` It's how the kids feel about themselves and the enthusiasm to learn.''

`` For everyone who comes here, it's respect and learning,'' Vespia said.

It is largely the element of respect -- both earning and showing it --that appears to be key, according to several of the students who were interviewed for this article.

`` Sometimes people have a bad image of the Network, like the kids get in fights every day,'' said a soft-spoken Mike Dreher.

`` We're good kids -- some of us have just had tough lives,'' said the 17-year-old student who has green highlights in his hair. He said having ADD and other issues got in the way of his education in a traditional high school setting.

`` We just want more respect,'' he said. `` And if we can help just one other person from dropping out or thinking about dropping out'' the `` Go the Distance Campaign'' will be a success.

The idea for the campaign actually came out of a discussion in one of his classes, said Tighe.

He said the students had been questioning him about his most recent marathon, the JFK 50, that he ran in North Carolina this past November and where he placed third overall.

Tighe said the students wanted to know the longest marathon he had run (60 miles). `` But then I told them I knew of a person that ran 150 miles-plus on the treadmill.''

The students then started to joke about Tighe breaking that record.

The World Record on the treadmill is 153.5 miles over 24 hours, he said.

`` If I did 154 miles that would be fine,'' he laughed. `` But I'm looking to go farther.''

He is hoping to break the 12-hour record, in training for the 24-hour mark, by March.

Tighe has been training on treadmills provided by NordicTrack at Emerald Square in North Attleboro. The store is providing the equipment for his run at the record.

The Network students, in addition to spurring him on, are participating in other ways.

Part of the project will involve creating a curriculum for other students at risk of dropping out of school, said Tighe. Students are also working to create a Web site for the campaign and writing and distributing literature about the event in the community.

In addition, the students are conducting research on how much money high school graduates earn compared to those who drop out and how much they earn after pursuing secondary education. `` Sometimes kids lose focus of the long-term advantages of staying in school and getting their diploma,'' said Tighe. `` Graduating from high school is an important predictor of a young person's life prospects.''

According to the Children's Defense Fund, one United States high school student drops out every 9 seconds, said Tighe.

`` Sometimes students feel like they're going nowhere fast -- like on a treadmill. They just see themselves being forced to go to school.''

And if students like these are not given additional chances and support, they are not just hurting themselves. `` It becomes a problem for the community at large'' in terms of greater burdens on public assistance and possibly the corrections systems, among other problems, he said.

Kari Enfield, a probation officer for juveniles in the Attleboro District Court and who has worked with a couple of the youths, said the Network `` is an excellent alternative for kids who cannot tolerate the usual regimen of school.''

She said her department has been able to work with the program in coordinating community service for youths in the system.

`` It's an alternative place for them to succeed,'' Enfield said of the Network.

Tighe claims the program saves the district money in more ways than one. The program's budget is about $350,000. To send the students in the Network out of district would cost about $1.5 million.

As for the students now enrolled in the program, Tighe's newest project means something more personal.

`` He's done a lot for me, I'm going to do a lot for him,'' said Steve Kalil, of his support for Tighe in his challenge to beat the record.

`` My last school, I would get no grades or F's,'' said the 17-year-old with big brown eyes and highlighted hair.

`` Here, they motivate you,'' said Kalil. `` This year, I'm passing.''

Nick Hollis, 16, says the campaign `` just shows people not to give up on their goals and that if you put your mind to it, you can do it.''

`` He (Tighe) just wants to step up and show people that they can do it -- that we can do it.''

Hollis believes he has learned at least that much by attending the Network.

`` Nobody can tell you what you can't learn,'' said Hollis, who on this day wears a New England Patriot's hat and Reebok sweatshirt.

`` That's what I go by in this school,'' he said. `` If you don't show respect, you don't get it. They teach that here.''

It's also a matter of learning to put the past behind you, `` to keep your head up and keep going,'' said Hollis and other students. `` It took me awhile, but when it came it was a great feeling.''

If there is one thing the students have as the campaign gets underway, it is great confidence in Tighe and his ability to beat the world record on the treadmill, as well as the message the challenge carries.

`` I think he's going to do it no problem,'' said Hollis. `` We keep telling him he can do it, so that he believes in himself'' just as he has done for the students.

The 18-year-old Phan, who works at the repair shop, said: `` He (Tighe) is achieving what he wants to do and if you try hard, you're going to end up doing it.''

`` I want to achieve myself,'' he adds with a smile. `` I want to go on to college and maybe own my own shop.''