Program reforms troubled students

Hawthorne Welcher said he was skeptical that a day-long counseling program could reform the students who posed the "toughest" discipline problems in his school.

But after seeing his students emerge from the Hargrove Next Steps Program, Lucy C. Laney High School's principal now calls himself a believer.

"I just really did not believe it could be done in a day," Dr. Welcher said.

In February, the Richmond County Board of Education agreed to pilot the Next Steps Program as a way to shift from simple punishment to a way of changing students' behavior.

The program worked with 158 students, who each completed a Decision Reframing Workshop and an Individual Success Plan to help them overcome barriers and set goals.

"It worked extremely well," Dr. Welcher said. "They really did make believers out of me."

Faye Hargrove, the founding partner of Hargrove Leadership Services, wasn't surprised by the success of her program, which surpassed the goals she set to reduce absences and discipline incidents.

She expected students to respond as well as her other clients, which include business executives. The program is grounded in the belief that everyone can be successful once barriers are removed.

To illustrate her point, Dr. Hargrove shows students in the program a short clip from Sesame Street in which Ernie struggles to play the saxophone because he is clinching his rubber duck. The Next Steps Program teaches students to "let go of their duckie," she said.

Dr. Welcher said he was surprised at how his students opened up during the program. The program's team listened, showed genuine concern and made follow-up appointments when necessary.

Those who completed the program returned to class as new students, the principal said.

"Before, they would fly off the handle really quickly," Dr. Welcher said, adding that they developed patience and the ability to talk out problems. "I was surprised and impressed and very proud."

Winnette Bradley, the lead principal of Bungalow Road Alternative School, shared Dr. Welcher's admiration for the program. She spoke of one volatile student who was stubborn and refused to listen to adult direction.

"This young lady made quite a believer out of me," Ms. Bradley said, adding the student went on to earn two awards for good conduct. "What surprised me is that it happened in such a short amount of time."

Dr. Hargrove has proposed expanding the Next Steps Program to 750 students in the coming school year.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.