Schwettman

Traditional schools don't work for all students. Sometimes smaller classes and individualized instruction is what students need.

In Assignment: Education, Bill Ratliff takes a look at Pasco County's first alternative school.

From the outside Schwettman Educationa Center is a place where students go..
Principal Alan Knight says it's a place where students are turning their lives around.

--[ Principal Alan Knight says:] "What we try to do is to try to take the kids that are non successful in the everyday normal school and place them in an environment that they can find success."--

The school offers students the traditional courses.. like reading..writing and arithmatic, but on a more individual basis. It also offers hands-on vocational training for the students... like this stain glass class. Meet Mickey and Kyle... two students who weren't making it in their regular schools.

--[ Freshman Kyle Levingston says:] " I had problems at the other school. I never went. I didn't care to go. I didn't really care about school basically."--

--[ Junior Mickey Bentancourt says:] "In the other school, I realized that I was failing and now ever since I came here I was passing.--

Kyle says he was the class clown in school. He was failing his classes. At Schwettman, he has been on the Honor Roll for the past two years and even has a scholarship to college.

--[Levingston says:] "Instead of gettin f's I'm looking forward to getting a's and looking forward to graduating with my regular class." --

Mickey was also failing.. but now he's receiving awards.

--[Mickey Bentacourt says:] "They give me student of the month and then I get student of the week. It's a suprise. It's a shocker.."--

What's making the difference? This school offers more than the lessons any book can provide.. all of the sudden they have somebody who cares for them.. somebody who can help them with their problems... help them turn their lives around. And sometimes caring makes all the difference in the world. The success rate for students at Schwettman Educational Center is about 70-to-80 percent. Meaning students who go through the school continue their education and graduate with their class or get their G.E.D.

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