Working on an A+ - schools on military bases for children of personnel

Airman, March, 2001 by Louis A. Arana-Barradas

"And though we won't get there for a while," she said, "we're working on an 'A .'"

A formula for success

A big heart a caring attitude = a good mentor.

That's not a math equation to ponder. Not physics. It's Genorace Armstrong's formula to pinpoint what a person needs to be a good role model for young people. He lives by it.

"You don't have to be a psychologist," he said. "If you care about kids -- feel it in your heart -- you'll find the answers when you need to help them."

Armstrong is the mentor program coordinator at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It's the perfect program for the base, with its key mission and hectic pace. People and airplanes come and go from there each day. There's no base housing. It's in the midst of a huge transformation that'll make it the Air Force's "newest" base in Europe. And it's in the middle of a construction boom that disrupts services.

Caught in the midst of the hustle and bustle are some 1,450 school-age children. It's not so bad for the young ones, who have more structured family activities, Armstrong said.

But it can be a tough place for teens. They can't drive until they're 18 in Italy, making them dependent on parents for rides to and from the base. So the base exchange becomes their "mall." And they have few hangouts besides the movies, gym, pool and bowling alley.

"And you can only go shopping or to an amusement park just so many times before that becomes boring," said Gwendolyn Neff, a 2000 graduate of Aviano High School.

Off base, teens face other challenges. Few speak Italian, so they hang out with classmates. But they can buy alcohol and cigarettes at 16 and get into clubs with few hassles. The new freedoms get some into jams, Armstrong said. But most stay out of trouble.

"How they overcome these problems is a testament to their character," he said. And when they think they might stray, some students turn to their mentors for help.

Mentors are having a positive effect on students at Aviano, said Doug McEnery, Aviano High School principal. Since the program started in 1997, school truancy rates have dropped. There are fewer student behavior problems. And those in the program are doing better in school.

The secret to its success? Total support from the community and base leaders. "It's a true partnership between the military and the schools." Hence, Aviano's program is the model for Defense Department's dependent schools, McEnery said.

It's a voluntary program for students. But mentors aren't substitute parents, just more adults youths can turn to for guidance. Most form strong bonds and mentors soon become friends and confidants, said John Janice, also a 2000 Aviano high grad.

"You just don't feel comfortable talking about some things to your parents," Janice said. "And friends don't always keep things in confidence. But what I tell my mentor is between us."

Confidentiality is a key rule Aviano's more than 120 mentors must abide by, Armstrong said. Applicants go through a screening program and receive training. Students' needs guide the program. But it's similar interests that usually determine what mentor and student to pair up.