By Emily Younger

eyounker@joplinglobe.com

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A few months ago, Marisha Marney was failing most of her classes.

But Monday, the day before Carl Junction schools let out for Christmas break, Marney, a high school freshman, proudly told Sharon Clark over lunch from Randy’s Drive-In that she expects to pass most of her classes this semester.

“I’ve improved my grades ever since I met her (Clark),” Marney said.

When Clark asked Marney what made her improve her grades, Marney smiled.

“You being proud of me,” she said.

“I am very proud,” Clark responded, her voice heavy with emotion. “Very proud.”

Clark and Marney are two of about 20 participants in Carl Junction High School’s recently launched mentoring program, which pairs students who are at risk of dropping out of school with members of the community.

Georgiana McGriff, high school principal, said several members of the local Rotary Club volunteered to mentor students partly because of the Graduation Matters campaign, which area educators emphasized during one week in November.

Touching base

“It’s just someone to kind of touch base with them,” McGriff said. “(Students have) an adult to talk to on a regular basis.”

High school counselor Kristy Jones said mentors usually meet with their students once or twice a month during school hours. During that time, they do a variety of activities with their students, depending on the students’ interests and hobbies.

For example, one mentor brought her golden retriever to a meeting, and the pair walked the dog together. Another mentor showed her student how to bead necklaces, and they have since been making jewelry. A third pair likes to play chess, Jones said.

In addition to helping develop social skills, mentors also help their students focus on career and academic goals by challenging them to improve their grades and encouraging them to think about what they might want to do in the future, Jones said.

Students are chosen for the program using criteria based primarily on grades. Jones said she is working to expand the program through outreach efforts with a school committee that focuses on at-risk students.

Clark said she volunteered for the program after hearing about local superintendents’ focus on reducing the dropout rate. After talking with Jones, she was paired with Marney, and they first met in October. Clark brought lunch and taught Marney how to play checkers.

Since then, the two have met at least three more times.

“We usually play games, sit down and eat, and talk about school (and) how I’m doing,” Marney said. “What I like is she’s taking time out of her life, and coming to see me and spend time with me. I really like her, and I’m glad that I started this or I would have never known her.”

Impact apparent

The impact of the meetings is apparent: Marney said school is now “good” and that her classes, including French class, her favorite, are “really good.”

Clark said Marney “seems to be kind of a different person” since October.

“I just try to be a positive influence in her life,” Clark said. “If I can make a difference in one person’s life, it’s worth the hour I give up every other week.”

Clark said she has discussed Marney’s future with her, sharing stories about the years she served in the Army as a legal clerk and as a drill sergeant.

That seemed to pique Marney’s interest.

“I’d like to go to the Army because all those commercials talking about serving your country — I like to hear that, and I want to be one of those people,” Marney said.

And she knows what it will take to get her there.

“Good grades,” she said. “Very good grades, and a diploma.”

At the end of their time together Monday, Clark presented Marney with a Christmas present — a copy of the movie “The Pink Panther 2” — but only after extracting a promise from her that she would study Monday night for her Tuesday quiz instead of watching the film.

Marney agreed.



Program launch

The mentoring program was launched with a handful of volunteers, and it now has eight who meet with their students regularly. Principal Georgiana McGriff said she hopes to add two more pairs in January.