BARAGA -- Middle and high school years can be some of the toughest for students no matter what school they attend.
During those years, students may have problems within themselves, their family, or dealing with peer pressure. However, Paul Olson with the Great Lakes Community Center for Youth Development says to lead students toward excellence is a community effort.
"Young people don't just live in a community, don't just live in schools, they don't just live with their family. They are part of the community at every level. So it's appropriate for an organization, like a school, to be concerned about issues with their youth, to address those issues with the entire community," said Olson.
So Baraga County school officials are getting to understand the needs of their students and coming up with ways to make sure they don't become at risk of falling down the wrong path. They started with a survey to figure out what students are most concerned with. In a recent survey, only 21 percent of students who took the survey say they have a positive role model in their lives.
So school officials are starting a mentorship program. They are also providing after school tutor's to help students and extending the after school program for high school kids.
Superintendent of Baraga Area Schools, Jennifer Lynn, says it doesn't stop there.
"The next phase of that will be someone coming in, helping those students connect with the community and work with businesses," said Lynn.
Lynn says making sure kids excel is an ongoing process.
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