Students assigned to EDGE by the juvenile judge are

Students assigned to EDGE by the juvenile judge are transported in school buses from the high school to the elementary school where they are in the program from 3:30 until 7 p.m. There they get a snack and a chance to unwind. Then they are expected to do homework.

On Mondays they discuss life skills. He said this month they are working on developing career goals. On Tuesdays they discuss with their peers anything they want to discuss. He said those mostly become discussions of relationships. Often the students complain that some teacher is responsible for them being in the program. "I tell them, You put yourself in here,'" Mr. Almond said. He said the program is punishment, but he tries to make it therapeutic as well.

On Wednesdays the students perform some community service.-Mr. Almond said they are washing blackboards, sweeping the floors and cleaning windows. "I try to get them to realize this is their community," Mr. Almond said.

On Thursdays parents arc required to attend with their children, and major discussions ensue. Mr. Almond said some of the children come from families where the parents have problems with alcohol and drugs and they are "self parenting." He said as a result of the program some parents are in treatment programs.

Once a month, Mr. Almond arranges some recreation for the students. He is trying to schedule horseback riding because he discovered some of these country children have never ridden horses. "I want to show them they can have fun and do positive things.”

He said the students will stay in the program a minimum of four months, but their sentences are indefinite. He said the students can work their way out of the progrant by making progress in it, and he mostly wants them to leam to take responsibility for their actions. So far he is serving two students, he said, but he expects the program to grow and to* serve up to eight at a time and about 22 over the school year.

— By SHARON KILPATRICK