University Daily Kansan
Thursdav. October 4.1979
Achievement Place helps girls with the law
5
By KATE POUND Staff Reporter
"It's fun," one girl said.
It is ruth, one girl said.
"It's a lot of work," a second said.
"It's a lot of work," a second said.
"I hated it at first," yet another said.
"I'd like to go home," a fourth said.
He laughed at each, yet another said,
"I'd like to go home," a fourth said.
"I miss it when I leave," a fifth said.
"I'm glad I'm here. I could have gone somewhere worse," the last said.
The six girls, who ranged from eight graders to high school seniors, were taking about their home-Achievement Place for Girls. A special home, its purpose it to keep juveniles who are in legal trouble out of the house and on their way back to their families.
Achievement Place, 637 Tennessee,
hardly looks like a home for troubled
juveniles. There are no iron bars, no locks,
forbarring offenders or dark, drab walls
Instead, there is baby furniture and children's art. Books and toys, a shaggy white dog and bright, clean rooms. No
guards, matrons or police officers. Just Paul and Jennifer Veerkam and their four preschool children.
PAUL AND JENNIFER are "teaching parents" in the Achievement Place which was developed in 1877 by the department of human development and family life at the University of Kansas. They are trained to help the girls stay out of trouble and care for the six girls at Achievement Place.
The girls hug them back.
"I just want to say that the teaching- parents are really nice. I swear they do everything they can to help you," one girl said firmly.
"It's like a real family," Jennifer Veerckam said. "The girls love us and get mad at us. We get along really well and then they are all yelling. It is not artificial."
THE VEERKAMPS have been with Achievement Place for 10 months. Only one of the girls at the house has been there longer.
"She really knows the ropes," Paul Veerkamp said.
A quick-to-t smile high school student talked about her homie with ease. She was the only girl in class who supervies the girls' chores, called "constants." She makes the work is done
The girls explained their work. One cleans the kitchen, a second the living room, dining room and kitchen. They also large the kitchen appliances; others keep the yard neat and the Achievement Place
The jobs are shifted weekly, so that everyone tries everything. The chores serve two purposes: keeping a full house clean and teaching good work habits.
"I sure learn a lot doing the work. When I came, I didn't even know how to sweep." one girl said.
"I remember that," Jennifer said. "You just kind of waved the broom around."
Points are earned for school work.
properly done constants, good attitude and proper behavior.
Points are lost for poor school reports, fighting, improperly donned clothes and broken glasses. Points are added daily. Each day, with hard work and a bit of luck, the girls are a little closer to going away.
THE POINTS also are used to "purchase" privileges, such as watching television, dates, allowances and weekend trips home.
"It's hard, sometimes, to earn points," one girl said. "You get going good and something happens and you're right back where you started."
"You know about that," another girl teased gently.
The first girl had recently lost all her privileges after getting into trouble, the girls explained. Now she had to earn extra points to get them back.
"Seems like all I do is work and study, now," she said.
"But I guess I deserved it," she added shyly.
The girls rarely get with poor behavior, they said. If the manager doesn't catch poor work, the teaching-parents will, or teachers at school will.
"THE TEACHERS at school expect more from the Achieve School place," Paul said. "We get daily reports, so we’re in closer touch than most parents are."
The girls attend the schools they attended before come to Achievement place. Each morning, they pile into the van and it heads to Lawrence High School or to Lawrence High School. They take cases ranging from typing to welding and fill their cases with materials they must keep up their grades to earn points.
But there is time out for fun, despite homework and constants, the girls said.
"We get to go camping, fishing and all sorts of stuff I'd never done at home," one girl said.
KANSAN On Campus
...
TODAY: THE UNDERGRADUATE ANTHROPOLOGY ASSOCIATION is sponsoring a lecture by Felix Moon, Ph.D., at the Kansas University Definition" #7 at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Room of the Kansas Union. The GERMAN HISTORY DEPARTMENT is in the fourth floor lounge of Murpah Hall.
TONIGHT: THE ACCOUNTING CLUB was on Causeway, in the County Room of the Union. In the Union, the Room of the Union. GAV SERVICES OF KANAS will meet at 7:30 p.m. A Taper at KANAS
**TOMORROW:** Companies interviewing the School of Engineering, Proctor & Grace University, Commerce Bancshares Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Companies interviewing in the School of Engineering will be Amoca Research-Naperville, Chevron Research-Naperville, and the School of Law will be Clark, Mize; Linville; Breggleog; Simson, Mag, Fazzel; Morris, Lavians, Evang; Brock & Kennedy.
Jazz Up!
with your parents!
Tonight: Live jazz jam! Free Admission 8-12 Fri. & Sat.: Earl Robinson & The Red Hot Scamps $7 includes free beer, pop, peanuts and popcorn. (This ad worth $2 off, Friday only.) Reserve now. Seating will be limited. Tickets available at University Music, 926 Massachusetts
Paul Gray's Jazz Place 926 Mass. (upstairs) 843-2644
VOTE TODAY FOR STUDENT SENATE AND FRESHMAN CLASS OFFICERS WHERE?
TODAY 8 a.m.—4:30 p.m.
- Jayhawk Blvd. Information Booth
- Fourth Floor Wescoe (West End)
- First Floor Fraser Lobby
- Union Lobby
TONIGHT 5:00-7:00 pm
- Lewis Hall
- GSP-Corbin
- Sellards Scholarship Hall
- McCollum
- Phi Gamma Delta
- Alpha Delta Pi
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MUST HAVE TEMPORARY KU ID TO VOTE
Paid for by Student Activities
Shoes With The Young Lady In Mind
A1 J. J. Angela's
Now Open Evenings
Until 8:00 Mon-Thursday
Holiday Plaza
842-3007
ZERCHER PHOTO ANNUAL AUTUMN BONANZA
Coming this Fri. & Sa*
ALL CAPRO & FOTO 2001
ACCESSORIES
1/2 OFF
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m-t-w-f-sat 10-6
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