STUDENTS DRESSING FOR SUCCESS; PROGRAM TO BUILD SELF-ESTEEM GOOD FIT AT HIGHLAND HIGH.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer High school senior Troy Boyer, dressed neatly in white shirt, tie and slacks, doesn't look like the same teen-ager who piled up some 20 dress-code violations his freshman year, earning a recommendation for expulsion. Boyer says he used to ``get in trouble.'' He wore size 40 pants on his 29-inch waist, shirts to his knees, sunglasses sunglasses A tinted pair of glasses used to ↓ light arriving at the eye, which are labeled according to the amount of UV light blocked; nonprescription glasses are classified according to use and amount of UV radiation blocked Sunglasses and baseball caps. Then he found he could not get a job. ``My dad said, `Start to look more presentable pre·sent·a·ble adj. 1. That can be given, displayed, or offered: presentable gifts; presentable attire. 2. Fit for introduction to others: presentable relatives. ,' and after awhile your attitude changes,'' said the 17-year-old, who now has a 3.5 GPA GPA abbr. grade point average Noun 1. GPA - a measure of a student's academic achievement at a college or university; calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted at Highland High School Highland High School or Highlands High School may refer to: In the United States:
Boyer is one of more than 200 students who are in Highland High's Dress for Success Club, a program started three years ago by teacher Teri Weyer at Littlerock High School Littlerock High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Littlerock, California. It is the a part of the Antelope Valley High School District (AVHSD). External links
The district includes eight public high schools, one trade school, and two continuation high schools in the cities of Palmdale schools. ``I wanted to improve students' self-esteem,'' said Weyer, who now teaches at Highland. ``So many students were being suspended for dress-code violations.'' Learning how to dress appropriately is a valuable part of developing a good work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work , Weyer added. ``If they are going to be hired, they need to learn what it takes to be successful,'' Weyer said. ``In talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to businesses, they say students walk in inappropriately dressed when they pick up applications and when they show up for work.'' Students in the club are nominated by their first-period homeroom home·room n. A school classroom to which a group of pupils of the same grade are required to report each day. Noun 1. homeroom teachers based on five criteria. They must: wear to school clothes appropriate for a job or job interview; exceed the average school dress-code standard; have a 2.0 grade point average or higher; earn a satisfactory or outstanding mark in citizenship; and have a good attendance record. The students dress up the first four days of the week and are allowed to be more casual on Fridays, or spirit days, when there are school games, Weyer said. Students in the club get a certificate, a lapel pin A lapel pin is a small pin often worn on the lapel of a dress jacket. Lapel pins can be purely ornamental or can indicate the wearer's affiliation with an organization or cause; for example, American Flag lapel pins became very popular in the United States, especially among and discounts at 34 sponsoring businesses, including clothing stores, restaurants, flower shops and dry cleaners. The program includes teachers and other school staff as well as students. About 70 employees at Highland are in the program, Weyer said. ``It's a nice way to encourage and reward teachers who dress in a professional manner and take time to care about how they appear,'' Weyer said. Boyer, who usually dresses in tucked-in collared shirts and pants for school, was wearing a tie last week because later that day he had a staff meeting at the dental office where he works as a computer technician, a job he has had for four months. ``They hired me because they said I looked nice and had the right attitude,'' said Boyer. Besides the discounts, Boyer said there are other perks perk 1 v. perked, perk·ing, perks v.intr. 1. To stick up or jut out: dogs' ears that perk. 2. To carry oneself in a lively and jaunty manner. . ``The girls really like it. They always say, `you look so nice,' '' Boyer said. Junior Karla Rosales said she has always dressed up. Students often mistake her for a substitute teacher when she walks into a classroom. ``It gives me pride. It's a show-off kind of thing. You are proud of yourself. It's something you accomplished,'' said Rosales, 16, who was wearing dress pants, a sweater top with a zipper zipper Device for binding the edges of an opening, as on a garment or a bag. A zipper consists of two strips of material with metal or plastic teeth along the edges, and a sliding piece that interlocks the teeth when moved in one direction and separates them again when moved front and two-inch pumps, with her hair swept up, giving her the ``office look.'' Rosales said she has saved more than $100 using the club discount. She also says dressing up has helped her in class. ``There are some teachers who have a preference for students who dress nicer. They pay more attention to students who dress nicer,'' Rosales said. Club member Christopher Harrison, 16, who wears slacks cuffed at the hem, button-up shirts, and dress shoes, said he dresses nicely to show that he respects himself. Other students comment on his wardrobe. ``Some people say, `you look like you're going to church or a job interview,' and I say, what's so bad about looking clean or looking like you're trying to impress somebody?'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (color) Members of Highland High School's Dress for Success Club must wear to school clothes appropriate for a job or job interview. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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