By Jeffrey S. Solochek, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
NEW PORT RICHEY
Matt Neck never counted on graduating from Gulf High School. He ditched classes for most of his freshman, sophomore and junior years. He can't say exactly why. School just didn't seem that much fun. By the time what would have been his senior year rolled around this past fall, 18-year-old Neck had almost no credits on his transcript. He expected to drop out before the first semester ended. Instead, he found renewal in Bibb lettuce, radishes and marigolds.
Neck's gardening experience came as part of Gulf High's GED exit option program, designed to give seniors who are behind in credits an alternative path toward on-time graduation. Teachers in the program decided to have students create a small garden out by the portables in back to learn about planning, teamwork, budgets and related ...