Three at-risk students from the Farmingdale School District Earn & Learn, a unique work-incentive-mentoring program, are graduating this June and all three students will be attending college.

"I am excited to be getting a return on my Earn and Learn investment, and there can be no greater dividend than to have three students who are graduating after many years in the program," said Jefry Rosmarin, creator and mentor of the Earn & Learn Program.

This program aims to teach at-risk students the importance of responsibility by "hiring" students as "employees" and using a stipend of five dollars per day or 50 dollars in a two week period as an incentive for students to achieve perfect attendance and at least a C or better grade in every class. Teachers fill out evaluation forms every two weeks to make sure that these students fulfill their attendance, behavioral and academic obligations. Students also must attend one meeting every two weeks with Rosmarin to review their job performance.

The main goal of the Earn & Learn Program is "to help them be in charge of themselves and their own growth," said Ellen Krammer, administrative director of Farmingdale School District.

Rosmarin, who has previous experience under his belt working with at risk students in the "I Have A Dream Program," established Earn & Learn in the spring of 2004 with four eighth-grade students from the Howitt Middle School. The Farmingdale staff selected these students because of their behavioral and academic problems.

According to a study conducted by William Sperduto, psychologist of Farmingdale High School, "The Earn & Learn Program takes a previously aversive unrewarding experience and transforms it into an opportunity for challenge and success. Through Earn & Learn, students set short and long term goals, build self-esteem and achieve greater self-efficiency."

"I think that Mr. Rosmarin's Earn & Learn Program has definitely helped to point me in the right direction by helping me to maintain my grades and allowing me to discuss my classes in weekly meetings," said a student of the Earn & Learn Program. "His program has also helped to encourage me to stay on the right path and keep my head in the books."

For more information regarding the Earn & Learn Program, call Rosmarin at 777-3737.