When Rosemary Garmire, 23, arrives at noon at the Reclaiming Individual Talent program's office in CATO Park, she is prepared to fulfill her role as a teacher — but she doesn't walk into a typical classroom filled with desks and rows of students.

As part of her service to AmeriCorps, Garmire helps to keep 20 students on track academically through the RIT program, assisting them with schoolwork by doing things such as correcting papers and keeping track of their school attendance.

Garmire, who graduated from Penn State with a psychology degree, is one of only a few volunteers at RIT. Eight mentors help students outside of school as well, but the program would like to recruit 10 more volunteers, possibly Penn State students, said teacher Angela Kerrick.

Volunteers would help students work on their personal portfolio and also tutor them.

The program was established in 1994 as an alternative to the traditional high school setting after five students were expelled from State College Area School District, Kerrick said.

Today, RIT's students are there for different reasons. Some had attendance or behavioral problems, while others are there because of emotional concerns or school phobias.

Most RIT students attend school either two or four hours a day, where they receive individualized attention from a teacher,

counselor or diversified occupation teacher, Kerrick said. In a secure setting, students work on core curriculum in addition to career counseling and social skills.

"We didn't want it to be a punitive or punishment thing," Kerrick said.

For Melissa Bartley, 16, the RIT program gives her flexibility. If it were not for RIT, she probably would have failed English, but now she will take an incomplete this year and work on that subject next school year, Kerrick said.

"We allow them to be who they are," Kerrick said. "In a traditional school setting, they might come down harder on what they wear or what they say. We allow them to vent."

Bartley mostly spends her days working on algebra and hopes to graduate in 2002. Because she likes to sleep in, she arrives at the office around noon, and she will leave around 2 p.m. She can bring a soda or snack with her to class if she wants.

For the first time Bartley said she is able to do her homework. She can work alone in a quiet setting and will receive only a pass/fail for her work.

"I hated school," she said. "There were too many people. I don't like people. I'm a very independent person."

Whenever she needs it, Bartley can also receive help from a teacher, career counselor or a tutor. Students mainly need help in subjects such as English or algebra, Kerrick said.

"I don't think you have to be a genius at algebra to help these students with it," Garmire said.

Volunteering with the students has been so worthwhile that Garmire said she might go into counseling instead of research psychology. However, she admits it was difficult in the beginning.

"They're a hard group to relate to or connect with sometimes," she said. "They don't trust adults. They haven't had a lot of reason in their lives to trust adults. It's a skill to be able to suspend needing others to like you.

"In the end, it turns out they usually like you."

For more information on the RIT program, contact Catherine Thatcher at 235-4915.