There's a very special class at Brewbaker Junior High school for very special students.  It's called the Community Based Integration or CBI program, for students with special needs.

The students are taught practical living skills, social skills, and vocational skills to help them learn to live as independently as possible.

Each day of the week has a special purpose for these students.  On Mondays and Fridays, they cook. On other days, they take field trips to area businesses, go grocery shopping at Wal-Mart, and even volunteer their time at a local caring center.

Teacher Susan Goldthwaite says she hopes this class teaches her students to be as independent as they can be.

The Humanitarian Club at Montgomery's Jefferson Davis High School has joined forces with the nonprofit group "All the Children Are Children" to help children in poverty stricken Haiti.

Since January, the students have worked non stop to gather supplies as part of their "Fill the Container" campaign.

The students say they knew they had to something, after seeing heartbreaking pictures of that country's situation.

They hope to ship a 20 foot container of supplies in June.  If you can help the students, call the school at (334) 269-3714, or send them an email to fillthecontainer@yahoo.com.

One class is teaching students the skills needed to take them far in life.

It's the JROTC program at Stanhope Elmore High School.

Students say the program has taught them discipline and leadership, and they are proud to put on the uniform. 

The Instructors say they are proud to shape the futures of their students, and many say they plan to make a career out of the military.
   

Fourth graders at Montgomery's Seth Johnson Elementary School are taking part in the Second Step violence prevention program.  The program is taught by educators from the Family Sunshine Center.

They are taught important lessons like respect, impulse control, and problem solving. 

While some may say fourth grade is a little young to have to be taught such things as violence prevention, representatives from the Family Sunshine Center say it's actually the perfect age to stop the cycle of violence before it begins.

Juniors and seniors from Trinity Presbyterian School spend time volunteering at the Children's Center of Montgomery.  It's part of a community service project for their Christian Studies class.

The children's center is a school for students with severe disablities.

The Trinity students say they will not only leave with a new appreciation, but also important memories.

Vehicles play an important part in people's jobs. 

That's why school counselor Ellen Bush put together Careers on Wheels Day at Coosada Elementary School.

17 second grade classes got the chance to meet workers from a variety of fields... from heating and air conditioning repair to emergency workers with Haynes Ambulance, to police officers and UPS drivers.
    
Ms. Bush says she hopes the students walk away with excitement about their future.

Fifth graders at Catoma Elementary School are issuing a challenge to students and parents to turn off the TV just one night each week and read a book.

Before the challenge started, many of the students say they didn't realize just how much TV they actually watched.  Zaira Rezendis says she used to watch it for about five hours each day, but now it's about one hour. 

This fifth grade challenge has been going on now for five years. School leaders say it has made a big difference in these students, and teacher Nancy Lowery says she hopes this lesson turns her students into lifelong readers.

A lot of students at Eclectic Middle School are being called to the principal's office these days, but it's not a bad thing. 

Principal Dane Hawk says he didn't want students just coming into his office in trouble.  He also wanted to know when they are doing things the right way. 

So, when Hawk became principal at the middle school, he brought with him a program that had been successful at the town's high school - positive performance referrals.  Teachers write up a student to go to the office, and instead of getting scolded, they are praised.  It's called getting a Panther Pride award.  Hawk also calls the student's parents to tell them what a great job their child did.

English teacher Jenna Meade says she sees her students trying to do better in the class, because they know if they have good character or if they show a good attitude, they'll be able to get an award. 

At the end of the year, the names of all of the Panther Pride winners are put into a hat, and prizes are given out.

     Some Montgomery students have become published authors, even before they graduate high school.

    Last year, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School creative writing teacher Foster Dickson gave his students an exercise - write about their hope for tolerance and equality in the future.  The book, "Our Hope" was just released by the publisher.

      Senior Nichole Peacock wrote a poem and a play for the book.  She says she hopes those who read it learn to be more open to people who are different from themselves, and are from different backgrounds.

       Other students say they are excited to see their work in print.  Senior Madison Clark says, "It's exciting because you know more people besides those in your school and family are reading this, and audiences across the nation look at the book and see high school students are doing something important like this."
 
     The book was made possible by a teaching tolerance grant from the Southern Poverty Law Center.    

     If you are interested in buying the book, you can get a copy at Capitol News and Books, as well as the gift shop at the Rosa Parks Museum..