Article by NAOIBH O'CONNOR, VANCOUVER COURIER DEC 1, 2010

Willy DuGray barely made it to class in Grade 7. He failed subjects and couldn't get through regular school. Now he's in the Streetfront alternative program based in a portable at Britannia secondary. DuGray shows up every day and is its top student, but the 15-year-old isn't only thriving in school--he's become a runner thanks to Streetfront, which sees students run three times a week and participate in physical activities ranging from hiking to camping.

Last weekend, the Grade 10 student and 10 other students completed the Seattle Marathon. He finished in four hours, 48 minutes and 48 seconds. He's also done a half-marathon and completed long training runs as far as Deep Cove and to Stanley Park.

Streetfront enrolls 22 students in Grades 8 to 10--many are aboriginal. Sixty per cent of the program is based on academics, 40 per cent is based on physical activities. Students often have "a distaste" for school because they haven't been successful.

Most were removed from regular school for not showing up. They're often remedial learners who struggle with "core fundamentals" or have behavioural problems, explained Trevor Stokes, who teaches every subject and every grade to create consistency in rules and expectations. Two other staff help--Gord Howey, a counsellor, and Barry Skillin, and alternative program worker who handles the outdoor education.

All students participate in three, five-kilometre runs a week. They're expected to run at least one kilometre, but how they finish the remaining four kilometres is up to them. Marathon students train at longer distances.

"We do every single thing the kids do. We never sit on the sidelines," Stokes said. The 41-year-old believes students' problems are tied to low self-esteem. Stokes sees running as an individual sport where participants compete against themselves and learn discipline, which translates well to the needs of his students. He wants them to be independent, with a mental toughness that enables them to make decisions for themselves.

"It may take 42,000 strides to complete 42K. They can choose to quit 40,000 times but they don't. We want them to be dedicated--to commit and to persevere," he explained.

Of the 11 students aged 13 to 18 who travelled to Seattle, eight finished the full marathon, three ran the half one.

Sponsors cover running costs, including marathon entry fees. Not all students buy into running, and some still fall through the cracks, but many go on to graduate and some move on to post secondary--usually the first in their families to do so. "Our ultimate goal is to get somebody excited about something," Stokes said.

DuGray's sights are set on the Vancouver Marathon in the spring. "[Stokes] always tells us when you run you can always find a reason to give up, but if you can find that one reason to keep going, you will," said DuGray who expects to move to the main school next year.

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