Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 14, 1993 TAG: 9306140328
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
His high school teachers would have been relieved to know that barely missing a college honor roll would be his biggest worry in 1993.
He was hardly on the road to college when he came to the Alternative Education Center in the 10th grade.
"I had problems dealing with a lot of people at school," he says. He wasn't doing his work at William Fleming High School.
At Alternative Ed, he says, he got the teachers' attention and the sense of responsibility he needed - though at the time he had no idea what he needed.
The staff insisted he do what he said he would. "They expect it to be done then, and not five minutes later," he said.
He learned: "You expect to be treated a certain way? You have to treat other people with the same respect."
He didn't want to return to Fleming. He finished his course work at Alternative Ed and won his diploma from Fleming a year ago.
Ray Williams, an Alternative Ed administrator, helped him apply to colleges. Peter Lewis and George Franklin, Alternative Ed's top leaders, and coach Al Holland were among his other mentors.
"They helped me with my school life, and at times with my personal life. They just helped me start being a complete person."
Now 18, Beale attended Virginia Western Community College and just finished his freshman year at Norfolk State University. He wants to be a nursing administrator.
Early this month, he went before the Roanoke School Board to thank Alternative Ed.
Would he have graduated and gone on to college without it? "I could have, but I don't think I would have."
He comes back to the center - to see his teachers and to type term papers on the computer.
by CNB