Wildcat effectively serves the educational needs of students 16 to 21 years of age in grades 9 through 12 who are at risk of personal failure due to poor attendance, below-average academic achievement, disruptive behavior and criminal activity. Given the unsuccessful history of many of its students, Wildcat dedicates much effort to designing and implementing a program that confronts behavior that is age appropriate, philosophically progressive, and effective. As a result, various disciplinary issues that undermine other secondary schools are absent at Wildcat. Among the many factors contributing to this success, the following are particularly significant:
- Helping students internalize the school's goals and expectations;
- Creating cohesive learning teams;
- Supporting a “school to work” internship program;
- Granting students freedom to accelerate their own educational progress;
- Instilling the belief that a student's personal history prior to admission to JVL Wildcat should not serve as an impediment to academic success.
