Quitters never win

Chapter 1

       Me and some of my twelfth grade class were sitting in a small room waiting for Mr. Bartista our principal to enter. We were the select few who were asked to take part in an experimental program. He had just became principle last year and had an ax to grind. He wanted to be seen as a good principle because he was young.

       He walked in finally wearing a nice pair of black pants and a green polo shirt. "Ok guys listen up. The first day of school is going to start in a few days. The drop out rate in this state is ridiculous!! Last year alone we had 7 kids from this school drop out and there's no sense in it. We need to do something now! I can't stop it from happening all over. But i can do something at this school. I want to do something to help. I'm just one person. I need you guys to step up and help me." He said.

       "Well we'll do our best sir, what do you want us to do?" Asked Katie Youngblood. She was what you would call a brownnoser. "I'm glad you asked Katie! Kids respond well to other kids. So you will be mentors. We have asked you all here today for this very daunting but rewarding task!" He cleared his throat. "You are the role models of the twelfth grade. You will be exactly what these kids need." He said.

       Tara's eyes grew wide. She was a good kid but she was a bit of a chicken. "I won't have to mentor a guy in a gang will i?!" She asked a look on her face. "What? Oh no no Tara no. We picked a few of kids who we think could use a helping hand up. Kids who aren't as motivated to do well in school. Kids who meet some of the criteria of kids who usually drop out. Mind you these are just statistics. But we feel this will work. We want these kids to grow and learn! To strive to make better grades and to keep out of trouble. These are kids who have been through some tough things in past years." He said.

       "Well you can count me in!" Said Katie. "Of course we can." Said Delaney rolling his eyes. "Now now let's not start that. Please come up here in an orderly fashion. I have a packet for each of you that has a little bit of information about your person. This isn't gossip central. If these individuals get close with you and share personal information then you are to be trusted to keep that, are we clear?" He asked. Everyone nodded. "Now  They will tell you what they want you to know. But if they don't share anything, that's okay too. Get to know them as well as you can so that you can help them." He continued.

        "So wait are we supposed to be there shrink?" Asked Alexander. "What? No Alexander. All you need to do is basically be their study buddy. If they need help with getting into college show them the ropes. If they are interested in the ACT's or SAT's help them study, and sign up for the test. " He said. Somebody snorted. "Mr. Saunders do you find something funny about college that i need to know about?" "No sir it's just i know some of these kids and do you really think they have plans on going to college?" "I don't know yet part of the reason for this study, At first they may want no part in discussing college or even school in general. You have to help them see that college might be good for them. Now you will not meet these kids until one or two weeks into school. When the actual school work starts." He walked behind the podium he was using and picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. 

       We were sitting in the Band room. There were instruments already strewn over the messy room. The walls were covered with band posters of the different instruments and some had music notes on them. There was a large poster with the word BAND on it. Be your best. Aim for success. Never give up. Demand excellence. Alright maybe that was a bit cheesy but not wrong.

        "So were just glorified tutors?" Asked Chris. "And then some Christopher! You need to be their friend. Some of these kids need that desperately. Ms. Hilton the guidance councilor will be leading up this project any and all questions should be directed to her, Ms. Hilton?" He called her over. She came up. "Yes so i am very excited about this program i think everyone deserves a bright future. And we as teachers can only do so much. Now i want to let you know that nobody is a failure. I need to stress that. If at any point you feel like you aren't doing a good job come see me and we can talk it out. Please know that it's not always you. Some people just don't want to do well if at the end of the school year you come up to me and go Ms. H. The person i was helping slacked off and he basically wanted me to do the work for him. That is in no way your fault. You can only do so much to help these kids. Mr. Bartista is going to pass your packets out now, feel free to look through them. If you need me for anything my door is always open." She said closing. 

       Mr. Bartista stood up. "Yes, yes. As i said orderly fashion people. Grab your packet on the way out and we'll see you in a few days." He said. I pulled my keys out of my purse and walked toward the door taking my packet on the way out. 

       My best friend Katlyn came up beside me shoving some papers back into her packet. "I got Franklyn Waters." "You mean that kid who's always talking about dead bodies and stuff?" "Yea he's so weird why did i agree to this?" She asked pushing her fiery red hair behind her shoulders. The sun brought out the bright freckles on her face. 

       "Because you needed some more extra circulars." I shrugged. "Right, what if he tries to kill me..." "Like he would I'm sure he's going to be fine, if you're worried about that then just study in the library or something don't go to his house." "His house?! The thought never crossed my mind i won't be his next victim!" "You are so melodramatic he's going to be fine. Look all you do is wait until he has a test and help him study if he has any big projects help him out. Ask him do coroners or exorcist or whatever need college." 

       "Hah i could see him working at funeral home he'll feel right at home with all the dead people." "Right but i think a part of this is to not make any preconceived notions. Nobody knows what he's really like, everyone is afraid of him. Maybe he's not as weird as we all think." I said. 

       We were sitting on the picnic benches outside by the parking lot. I nodded my head. "I think he's a lot more normal then you give him credit for. You might even discover he's a nice guy." "You know what you're right and hey if he kills me you can have all my stuff." She said putting her hands out. "Win win either way." I joked. "Hey! She hit me on the arm, by the way who did you get?" 

       "Hm....Let's see." I said opening my packet and pulling at the first sheet of paper. "Tyler Hillcroft...do you know him?" I asked not placing the name with a face. "I don't think so is he new?" I flipped through the packet. "Ah here we go. Yep new guy." "What does it say about him?" "Not much, just says that he lives with just his dad." I thought that was kind of strange, when parents split up most kids opt to stay with there moms. Katlyn was thinking the same thing i was.

         "He's probably been there most of his life then. But what I'm curious about is, if he's a senior so why change schools senior year?" "I don't know maybe he got in a fight or something?" I said tapping my fingers on my chin. "Yea perhaps. Well I should get going." I said standing up. 

       "Yea my mom is waiting on me for lunch." Said Katlyn. "Ok see you soon, call me." I said waving. "Ok bye Brooke." She said getting in her car. I was actually excited about this program.  School was important to me, it would pave the way for my future. I had gotten into college already since it was senior year, i had found out at the end of last year. It wasn't this big deal you see on tv and movies. Where you apply to schools and anxiously wait by your mailbox. You just pick a school. I however got a scholarship to one of the local schools. But it was a very good school. So it made my choice in where to go super easy.

         I couldn't wait to tell my mom about the program. I pulled my car into my spot and walked inside. "Hey mom." I said taking a seat at the table. "Oh hi dear." "Guess what?" I asked. "What that sweetie?" She asked. "I got asked to be a mentor this year?" "Oh good for you, you're sister is starting a 3k race for breast cancer. When she isn't volunteering at the soup kitchen, then she has is knitting socks for the homeless." She said smiling big. 

       Of course, no matter what i did my sister was always able to over shadow me. I took a bite of the bowl of gumbo my mom sat in front of me. It wasn't hot but i didn't care i was hungry and didn't feel like getting up. Besides, maybe if i ate some food my mom would stop talking about how amazing my older sister was.

 I loved my sister, i really did but sometimes it was tough living in her shadow! I pulled some of the papers from my packet. I knew it would be a few weeks before i would get to meet him but i wanted to get an idea of who he was.

       I had wondered if these kids were on board with having mentors. Maybe some of them didn't want to do it? I could get it, if you slack off maybe you are okay with that. But i wouldn't let that stop me. I would give my all. I would be the best dang mentor this school had seen. Well maybe not better than Katie, nobody beats her at anything. Wow her life must be exhausting. But she was nice enough so good for her. I was pretty sure that she was going to do something amazing. She was one of the only kids i knew that was leaving the state to go to school. She was going up north to go to Princeton.