Mt. Tallac engaging students with enterprising spirit; Community invited to Meet & Greet

The students at Mt. Tallac High School may not be experiencing the traditional path to graduation, but they are now going to experience a new one focused on work ethic and careers.

The dynamic duo team of Holly Greenough and Amy Jackson are beginning Phase Two of what they started last year, a program that takes students from school to career. The students that attend Mt. Tallac are the ones that stay in town, unlike others who take the college path and leave town and start a career and families elsewhere.

Many of the 75 students attending the continuation school feel they are frowned upon by the community and Greenough and Jackson are out to change that.

"We want them to feel more comfortable in the community," said Jackson.

Everyone, especially the business and leadership segment, is invited to attend the school's first day of school meet and greet on August 31 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. As the school works to foster a work ethic and prepare their students to become contributing members of the community, the meet and greet will promote and support the school's efforts and stir the student's drive to give the school year their best effort according to Greenough.

Greenough is a third generation teacher who took over last year as the Director at Mt. Tallac after teaching at both South Tahoe Middle and High schools.

The students at Mt. Tallac are there for many reasons and there is no one word that can describe them. A lot of the kids moved around a lot, others were in other situations that prevented them from completing the needed school credits to advance. One young lady was registering for school on Monday, having spent last year living in a car with her mother. She is credit deficient due to her family situation, not matching her high I.Q.

There will be a pilot group of 12 students this year that will be learning job skills during the school year. These students have proven themselves to be dedicated to the school's program. They will learn how to operate office equipment at the school, then move to South Tahoe Refuse to intern with staff in their office. This internship will also provide the students with needed credits for graduation.

This summer, Greenough and Jackson went to Los Angeles to visit the home of Homeboy Industries. There, former gang members and previously incarcerated men and women are provided with the hope, training, and support that allows them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community. Each year over 10,000 former gang members from across Los Angeles come through Homeboy Industries’ doors in an effort to make a positive change.

While the students at Mt. Tallac aren't the same demographic, the Phase 2 program is being modeled after those at the successful Homeboy Industries. The participants are treated with compassion and a kinship is developed, one that makes successful and contributing members of the community. Homeboy has business enterprises including a food truck, catering service, silk-screened and embroidered apparel, and a grocery. Their participants earn certificates and job skills including solar panel installation.

The school was able to purchase silk-screening equipment with a grant from the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation so the Tallac students can learn a trade and supply merchandise to the community.

There are 55 students in the Mt. Tallac morning school, and while the 12 students learn office trades, the others will learn how to dress for the workplace, clock in and out of school, learn resume writing as well as how to fill out an application for employment.

The Attic Thrift Store gives the students vouchers to purchase clothes there for interviews. Sandy, an Attic volunteer, helps them pick out what is appropriate.

Amy and Holly have a goal: to develop the school into a solid career preparedness program.

They would appreciate support from the South Lake Tahoe community, and there are many ways people can help including visiting the school and teaching the students a new trade like construction, cooking, and graphic design.

Mt. Tallac offers certificates in child care, CPR, and Serve-Safe, giving the students tools to start a career path after graduation.

"The fear of failure prevents many of our students from trying," said Jackson who heads up the school district's new crisis counseling office. "They have a 'I'm going to fail' attitude so we are going to build confidence."

For more information, contact Greenough at 530-543-2267, ext 1206 or by email at hgreenough@ltusd.org.