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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new school-based program has opened at Lincoln's Northeast High School to give students a safe haven after classes instead of heading to an empty home.
It's named Rocket House and is an offshoot of the Lighthouse after-school program that opened in 1990 for middle and high school students, just a few blocks from Lincoln High School.
"Our main goal is to give kids a safe place to go until their parents can pick them up," said Bill Michener, Lighthouse executive director, told the Lincoln Journal Star (http://bit.ly/1xNzU3R ).
Lighthouse and Southeast High School officials teamed up three years ago to create Knight House, which last year served nearly 1,200 students.
The Sowers Club of Nebraska Foundation provided $16,700 for Rocket House expenses this year and will do the same next year. Then the school will cover the costs, said the Lighthouse board president, Pete Allman.
After-school hours are risky for teens without supervision, Allman said, citing studies that indicate that the most teen pregnancies, drug and alcohol experimentation and juvenile crime occur from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A Rocket House goal is to provide structure, supervision and an environment that encourages students to graduate.
Students who join any Lighthouse programs sign pledges to graduate with at least a 2.5 grade point average, to avoid pregnancies and to not commit crimes. The programs are voluntary and offer academic support and other activities.
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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
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