By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Brandywine Middle-High School assistant principal Jim Boger spoke with seventh graders Thursday to discuss choices.
Boger began his discussion by asking the students, "What do you have to do?"
Students wrote down chores like take a shower in the morning, try hard at school, and do homework at night.
After writing their answers down and sharing them with each other, Boger dropped the big bombshell on the students.
Students looked at Boger and each other quizzically after he made that statement.
Boger explained that every choice the students make comes with consequences.
The mini-assembly Boger held with the students was the first of what he hopes will be a series of discussions with the students about what it takes to be a successful individual.
Boger originally held discussions like the one he held Thursday, when he taught alternative education at Bell Education Center.
Boger told the kids they need to make good choices while at school. He said those choices involved not only their school wok, but how they treat their fellow students.
The consequences Boger spoke of were detentions for students who have gotten into trouble because of the choices they make.
Boger related his own personal experience to the students in an effort to show them how choices he made affected his life, sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better.
Boger concluded his talk with the students with a warning to the students before they entered high school.
Boger said the next conversation he has with the seventh graders will focus on communication. Boger said he'll work with the students by having them do some role-playing, such as behavior loops and power struggles.
In the future, Boger hopes to work with the students' teachers more closely to develop further discussions.
Boger said the discussions will continue as part of the Brandywine Violence Prevention Program.