STUDENTS COMPETE FOR PRIZES IN VO-TECH ATTENDANCE EVENT

Attending class at Cape Girardeau's Area Vocational-Technical School can pay off.

In addition to the educational benefits of coming to school, students are competing for monthly attendance prizes in a new attendance incentive program.

Harold Tilley, director of the vocational school, said: "I think that regular attendance is one of the keys to success in school. If students are not here, they are missing something. If they fall behind, it's hard to catch up."

Designed as competition among high school classes, attendance is totaled each month. The morning class with the highest percentage of attendance wins a prize; the afternoon class with the highest attendance rate also wins.

"Attendance has been a problem for some students," Tilley said. "We have some students who will be here every day, no matter what. But other students need some motivation. We all work for different rewards.

"We felt that something like this would provide some added incentive to come to school every day," Tilley said. "Also, we hope it will generate some enthusiasm.

"It's not a cure-all or end-all for absenteeism," Tilley said. "But I think it will help."

The prizes have been donated by a variety of area businesses. Over $1,000 in products and money has been given to the project, plenty to fund the entire year, Tilley said. A grand prize for the year's winning class is in the works.

Prizes range from movie passes and food items to discounts at area stores.

In October, the first month completed, St. Francis Medical Center cooked breakfast for the winning morning class. Pizza and sodas were provided by other local businesses for the winning afternoon class.

The winning classes had a 96 percent attendance average for the month. Most classes had attendance averages in the low 90s.

"To me, 90, 91, 92 percent I don't consider very good attendance," Tilley said.

School officials are now tallying attendance reports from November. "We expect as this competition goes on that the numbers will go up."

Students have responded to the program. "We have students checking up on each other if they are absent. Teachers don't have to constantly remind them how important it is that they be here.

"If we can get youngsters here, hopefully they will be able to see the importance of regular attendance."