Problem solvers keep students in school Student Advocates support Johnston County at-risk high school students SMITHFIELD-- Their sole mission is to reduce the dropout rate. They're called student advocates and Johnston County is the only district in the state known to employ them. Each of the six high schools in the county has a student advocate who works with youth who may be in danger of dropping out. According to Oliver Johnson, Director of Student Services, students in need of advocates are those faced with any sort of dilemma that may prevent them from finishing school. Sometimes it's a social problem, other times it's trouble at home, low self-esteem or it's caused by missing too many days of school. Sometimes, students just need help dealing with the stress they feel in their social lives. Student advocates, Johnson said, counsel students, make home visits, hold conferences with their teachers, stay in contact with their guardians or whatever it takes to make sure a student graduates. The advocates work with students of all backgrounds including*students of privilege, students of poverty and students of other cultures. No student is above facing a hardship in their life, the advocates are all quick to point out. Student advocates work in conjunction with other school faculty members but because they are not restricted to teaching all day, they are able to work more closely with students, their families and the issues they face. Student advocates often become the liaison between a student's home life and their school life. They sometimes refer students to outside agencies for help when an issue is beyond their control, Johnson explained. For instance, an advocate may find that a student is not attending school due to embarrassment from a physical imperfection or a lack of clothing. Often, community agencies are able to provide lacking necessities. Marty Gurganus, Student Advocate at Princeton Union School, says his biggest challenge is helping his students to understand that they can get through difficult circumstances that seem impossible at the time. Working with students when they're hurting is more than a job, he said. "I hurt for them sometimes, but I'm proud of them for finding the courage and the strength to move forward." At Smithfield-Selma High School, Student Advocate Mike Vinson's work day ends long after the school day. Vinson says he's challenged to build a support network between his students' home life and school life. "I try to be the balance in the life of my students." Although Vinson is eligible for retirement, he says he can't walk away from helping students in crisis. The reward of that work, he says, "is non-tangible. You hope you have made a positive difference in a child's life. You hope you've instilled something in them that they can contribute to society and use to become a better adult." The greatest reward, according to Gurganus, is when a student realizes their circumstances are not bigger than they are and you get to see them follow through, meet their goal and finish school. "You're planting a seed in their life that you hope will still be there long after they leave the campus," Gurganus said. Since being implemented two years ago, the student advocate concept seems to be doing just that*preliminary figures confirm that the dropout rate is down again in Johnston County based on last school year's data. "It's definitely working," Johnson reported, "Over the past five years, Johnston County's dropout rate has steadily declined due to a host of strategies including the use of Student Advocates in the High Schools." However, official drop out rate figures for the previous school year will not be released until some time in March. Student Advocates are: Marlon Lee, Clayton High School Mike Vinson, Smithfield-Selma High School Marty Gurganus, Princeton High School Dianne Parker, South Johnston High School Kathryn Lord, West Johnston High School David Lawhon, North Johnston High School
