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‘ , , 777 W to .wnl'lltl on cumulus 'Wednrsday. March a. 201i ‘ l ‘ l w l - l O - l BX tune * Students grow up and grow out at alternative secondary "school l BvCrwtwnanouoPumm in. 1~,_ g t - 9‘:‘2}=;f§}fi 1;. 135:4”; Z 1 ‘ don't wear uniforms.” said teacher Carla I Chronicle Staff ‘. :54“ 7 . 1 ‘:‘s.*>€:¥§z { K. g guy-f ' ~ 1 , Santomero. l , g _ g k} ‘13:? . ‘ " f .2 5&3 .3; ;; ., 1 _ “We work more on harm reduction. We arian llie's 17th birthday was also ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ a ”a v .';;~.13g:i;j}‘f:,; f ' K ‘ " 1 '\ know that they smoke and we WiSh that they I M the first day of Grade 12. He ', ‘ _ . a: l ; l “ “ “‘2‘ .M\‘; "-’ i“ - f .. didn’t, but we're not going to play games. skipped school. And then he :3; $321,“. 3:3!" "4‘ , « 1 553,1“ ’1 These kidsarealready facing stresses/it the ‘, skipped again. and again. ‘ " ’ i ' ’j "5:353? mg} i. 1 .. _ end of the day, it's about personal responsi~ ‘ With a difficult home life, [he had left i ' -’ '. ‘ is ‘, bility.” ‘ home and was “couch surfing" â€"- staying at I ’5; at“; ‘-' ._ “ of 1 Students work with staff to choose their l few nights here and a few there. with whoev- ‘ l “q {A ,7! ‘ courses, working toward graduation and 1 or was willing to take him in. It was almost ’ i ’ ‘l"IT:1"»-'j»._,, - "his” ’ fig; ‘ = ,7 their own life goals But with four teachers impossible for this bright young man to . " “rgfifffigp .. ‘t .. . and 40 students, each kid must learn to focus on academics. '[ :érfiifgfft‘gw f, a ’ study independently, working through their ‘ Now, he's one of 40 students at St. Don ' ' ' " 352nm»? ’ r - ” credits one ortwoatatime. l Bosco. an alternative school for students ! ' 1 .;ng “figgstz: ‘1 think we’re developing more personal I from St. David and other local Catholic high 1-- ‘ -' , 7 it}; 2~ : «to; $3 ‘ responsibility with them than if they were at schools , . - 7 1 ,1 1.1;: do 7 *’ , i We: - a traditional school. with less flexibility and 1 “I'm just picking up skills 1 should have ,,-- "In _ . “1 -' -. §’§.‘€”,.1‘1{ ; " ' “f3 ‘3: 1 more rules.” Santomero said. “Because they had a while ago â€" life skills. time manage- ,, ""71. “ " " "' ”5""â€" ‘ ' ‘ ‘ ' e; ' 1 really have to make theirown choices here.” l ment. organization." [lie said during a break 7,5,1 ' ‘ is . In addition to academics, many of the { from his studies. 1/ . ‘ My . i _ 99 students work at part-time jobs or co-op , “ Right now. he's got a stable place to stay, I ~ if; 1_ placements. They also put in a total of 400 , with a St. Dain’d friend and his family. This " as; 1.3 , volunteer hours last semester at St. John’s l year. llie is taking credits in math, philosoâ€" ' ‘ Kitchen and the Food Bank. phy and physical education. . . “We‘re formally and informally teaching But through Don Bosco, he's also getting 1 L, . g . ' y W”; / them life skills," said teacher Wally Gangl. counselling with a child and youth worker, _. r‘ 1 M 1 » a? 1;; , ’ Through service hours, the students gain social supports and workplace training. He's ‘ ‘3 . self worth and a sense that they can con- getting a healthy breakfast every day. and ‘ K. ‘ g 1 "" tribute to their community. learning about physical fitness at a local x" ’ ‘ .1 .. j _ , - _ ' llie said he's learning to be responsible gym. . . ‘ , ' . ’ forhisownlifeâ€"remainingfocusedonhis The atmosphere at this tiny downtown Marian "'9: ‘7: '5 “‘me “'5 me around 3* the 5‘ DO" 30550 3"?th “M- studies and not allowing himself to be dis- Kitchener school is noticeably different mmmm traded or pulled into trouble. before one even opens the doors. There's a later. The yearbook is a handmade scrap; Mary's and in 2010 the program was reborn That's one of the attractions of the group of students outside having a cigarette booking project. There's a storage room with as a stand-alone school and renamed for the school. “less drama. more food,” Santomero break before heading off to the gym. food. housewares. blankets and even bicy- patron saint of Catholic education. jokes. Inside. sunshine pours into the front cles available for students in need and their The students at St. Don Bosco have all [lie is just one of the school’s success sto- olfice. Everyone who passes by ~ staff and families. come here on recommendation from their ries He’s hoping to return to St. David next students a says “Good morning" One stu- Run by the Waterloo Catholic District teachers and principals. They have atten- year to pick up a few more credits before dent works at a desk by himself. while School Board. the program initially started dance problems. They have issues at home. moving on to Wilfrid Laurier or the Universi- another is in a separate room. on a comput- two years ago in the Waterloo Memorial They’ve seen. or suffered from. family break- ty of Waterloo â€"â€" and eventually to a career CI. Recreation Complex for a handful of stu- down, substance abuse, mental health in human rights A kitchen bears the detritus of breakfast dents from St. David. Then it expanded to issues and poverty. “A lot of stuff I've seen in my own life has * made by several teenagers. to be cleaned up include students from Resurrection and St. "There's a lot more flexibility here. We really inspired me.” he said. Simplify your life... Get LASIK! LAS/KMD , . .1 .1 M - 1 l . A one-time Investment in your vision. . 1 F l N A N C W G . . “rm” , . t % LASER VISION CORRECTION 1 . , ., 1 r ~ : ,_ Starting at (:25 ‘ A 1 O. I l ‘ l . t 3.? ‘ ‘9 Egg 9: : FREE Consultation.18779659888 , _ r a wvmlosnkmd com 3 3 ‘I leye‘ Fridanhowmuchyoucmsovem l > 11". “I“ vtdonoorebyhovlngLASKnoM KlTCHENER-WATERlOO ‘ 1 , , All-Laser LASIK Available V“ Wm’m . ' ‘ ‘ HomaxIMonMaI|Ottowu|toronto|tou¢on|m|0dgory|Vanm W7, W W , , ,