BOOT-CAMP CONCEPT FOR EDUCATION

Anyone who has spent a couple of summer weeks doing National Guard duty at Camp Clark near Nevada on the western side of the state knows it is no resort. For years the camp was basically a firing range, which left hundreds of acres of terrain looking like -- well, looking like a battlefield.

Now Camp Clark has a new clientele: 150 teen-age volunteers who want to get a general equivalency diploma and some guidance in personal skills and career counseling. For five months, the volunteer dropouts -- no court-ordered troublemakers -- will be exposed to a military-style environment that is heavy on academics and guidance.

Although sponsored by the national guard, the camp is run by civilians through a $2.8 million grant from state and federal sources. Teens who complete the rigorous course will receive $15 a week for a year so their activities can be monitored.

Boot camps have proven to be a good environment for criminals, mostly first-time offenders. Now the emphasis will be on keeping high school dropouts from turning to a life of crime.