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Students Take Alternative Road to Success

by KREX News Room
by Amanda Brandeis

Story Created: Sep 27, 2012 at 6:28 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 27, 2012 at 6:42 PM MDT

MONTROSE, Colo.- Unlike an equation, the answers to how young adults should be educated can vary. Vista Charter School offers an alternative solution to the traditional method of education.

DurAnn Parks, a student at Vista Charter School, said, "If I didn't have the option to come to Vista, I would probably be in trouble."

Beth Sass, principal of the school, said, "It's a charter school for 16 to 21-year-olds that are disenfranchised with the traditional school or have dropped out and want to come back."

Educators at the school say they realize there is more than one method of teaching.

"Students come for three hours a day, and then the other two hours they're required either to be working or have a volunteer position," said Sass.

Getting an education benefits the student and also impacts the community.

"Statistically, students that do not graduate from high school tend to earn a lot less over a lifetime. If we can put the money into the students now and get them that diploma and get them that training, then it pays off for us. If we don't help them now, what's going to happen to them in 10 years? They're going to be an issue then," Sass said.

The new building makes for an environment much more conducive to reaching their goals.

Sass said, "Just to have a classroom to go into when it's raining, pouring rain, and you don't have to stop what you're doing because it's so loud on the tin roof."

The president of Ridgway Valley Enterprises said, "It is a LEED Gold certified building. LEED is an energy efficiency rating. The building is designed and built to sustainable building standards."

"They are a little, do we really deserve this? Some of them are kind of feeling like this maybe is too good for me. So I think that they feel really good about the building," Sass said.

Vista Charter School now has a permanent home; it's a place where students can get an education that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

To learn more about Vista Charter School, Click here.

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