For many of Mrs. Buck’s students, her class may be their last chance of staying in school.  They are often referred to her by other teachers or the courts because of behavioral issues.  “We do a lot of anger management, being in control of their behaviors, making positive choices, saying positive things.”

While Ronda says many teenagers can use the support of a class like hers, many of the kids she works with have gotten into trouble because of a lack of support from home or anywhere else.  By listening to their problems and raising their expectations, Mrs. Buck is able to help the kids change course. “Once you get to know these kids and they work in the program they are just phenomenal kids to have in your class.  They’ll work hard for you.”

Mrs. Buck says the key to helping at-risk kids change their ways is building trust.  “We’re a support group for everyone in here,” she explains.  “Everything is pretty much fair game to talk about in here… We pride ourselves on making this a safe place they can come.”

From day one, Ronda encourages every student to share their problems with her and the other students.  As any parent knows, it can be difficult to get teenagers to share.  She says by sharing her own experiences and holding conversations in confidence the kids open up.  While gossip might be a concern in many high schools, that’s not a problem in this classroom.  “We hold each other accountable in here. We have a sign in here that says when we leave what we see, what we say stays in this room.”

Through clear expectations and tough love, Mrs. Buck’s students leave the class as better students than when they started.  “(I was) somebody who needed help and was on the wrong track at the time.  I was hanging out with the wrong people,” said student A.J. Rodarte.  “If she wouldn’t have helped me during our freshman year I would probably be locked up in jail and never see the daylight again.”

With the success Ronda has had, it’s hard to believe that she didn’t think she’d make it through the first semester in the program when she first started.  “It was a very bad situation when I came in.  The kids were out of control.  There was lots of fighting, drugs, alcohol, and profanity.  It was just out of control.  For the first eight weeks I think I cried every single day.”   She continued, “Here I am five years later and I wouldn’t trade it.  I wouldn’t teach any other program in this school.”

Ronda says it’s the kids’ successes that keep her going.  “It’s rewarding to see these kids struggle, struggle, struggle, struggle, and then all the sudden it clicks and they turn it around.”

Please join 9NEWS and CollegeInvest in saluting Ronda Buck, the April 2006 9Teacher Who Cares.