(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – June 28, 2015) Quest Academy has served the Rockwall community for nearly 20 years as an alternative to traditional high school. While many assume that its students are troubled kids in need of discipline, Rockwall ISD Director of Student & Family Services Shelley Garrett says this is not necessarily the case.
“In the 11 years I’ve been working with Quest Academy, I’ve seen students with hurdles ranging from homelessness and incarcerated parents, to working two jobs to help their mom pay utility bills,” Garrett said. “These are good kids—hard-working kids. Somewhere along the line, their lives did not go according to plan, usually not of their own choosing.”
Principal Brian Neely explained that while Quest was originally created in 1996 to address discipline and education for students whose offenses were dangerous or illegal, now Quest hosts four separate programs to fit a variety of community needs.
“A lot of times we get kids who are trying to work in the adult world and the kid world at the same time,” Neely said.
Quest’s offerings include GED testing and programs; DAEP, a disciplinary program that combines traditional high school curriculum coupled with character education; Choice, an alternative teaching method that allows students to finish high school at an accelerated or slower pace; and GAP, a General Academic Performance program that helps students who are falling behind get back on track in order to graduate from their original campus senior year.
Neely said the community began to recognize the need for the GAP and Choice programs as a way to combat dropout rates and provide credit recovery. According to Neely, 40% of RISD freshman fail at least one of their courses. For students who continue to struggle or who are forced to take on additional responsibilities in their home lives, Quest can be a lifesaver.
“We build a system of networks to make sure no kids slip through the cracks,” Neely said.
Semesters at Quest are set up so that students can complete their coursework more quickly in order to enter the workforce earlier, or more slowly in order to ensure they grasp all of the concepts in their studies. According to Neely, Quest’s graduation rates are around 99% because the lower student-to-teacher ratio and the dedication of the staff allow teachers to focus on each individual student.
“What I love about Quest and the amazing staff is that they are like the Marines,” Garrett said. “Failure is not an option. Quest works with every single campus to make sure that no students drop out. I cannot think of a situation where Quest Academy was not able to find a work-around solution to fit the student’s situation—not only academic help, but social services, counseling, housing, you name it.”
Neely noted that one faculty member who is central to student success is his secretary, Delores Wherry. She’s been at Quest since its beginning.
“The best description I can give of Mrs. Wherry: she is a grandmother to all kids who come here,” Neely said. “She is the backbone of what this campus is.”
Garrett agreed. “This woman is the unsung hero of our school district,” she said. “She has been saving kids for decades. She is able to drill down to the truth of their situations and help find solutions to their specific problems. She is the mother hen and the Mother Teresa of Quest Academy.”
Wherry said she enjoys working with the students at Quest even though the environment can be challenging. “There is a lot of opportunity here to affect young people in a positive way,” she said. “Students can be encouraged to do the right thing.”
Wherry added that since many of the students have attendance problems, she gets to know their families as she encourages them to stay in school. Having a relationship with those families, Wherry said, is a big part of what makes her job worthwhile. Wherry also explained that one of the most difficult aspects of her job is seeing the students she cares about make harmful choices.
“It’s hard to see them make decisions that you know will be bad choices for them. If I ever have an opportunity to speak to them about those choices, even if they don’t change their mind, they might think back on it at a later date.”
Conversely, Wherry said that watching her students achieve their goals is exceptionally rewarding.
“It’s easier to see their successes here; even a small success makes a big difference in a student’s attitude and willingness,” Wherry said. “You’re really proud when that happens. Even if they struggled in the main school setting, sometimes in the smaller setting they thrive.”
Neely said that one of his most profound and rewarding moments is the graduation ceremony Quest holds for each student as they complete their coursework throughout the school year. Students who earn the necessary credits and are qualified to complete high school step into the main hallway of Quest and ring a big brass bell while teachers and classmates look on.
Quest focuses on building self-esteem so that students feel confident they are equipped for success. “We constantly talk about how there is great self-worth in them,” Neely said. “A lot of the kids here don’t have consistency at home, but we provide that stability. We have a relentless attitude—we are not giving up on them; we are not taking no for an answer.”
Garrett said the impact that the Quest staff makes is far reaching, giving students a foundation for a better life.
“A high school diploma is the most basic starting point for a successful career – for being able to support yourself and be a productive citizen,” Garrett said. “Before students leave Quest, the counselor makes sure they have signed up for financial aid and have a game plan for career training – whether it’s college, medical training, mechanics, culinary, etc. The work being done at Quest is saving lives and creating a better future for students, for the Rockwall community, and for the world.”
By Julie Anne White, Blue Ribbon News reporter.
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