A learning experience

editorial notebook

Later, I saw some of those same students in Michelle Labonte's art class. They were working on a color-coordination exercise, and it occurred to me that I had seen those same principles applied in the images of human ancestors Mr. Stovall's students handed in. The school talks a lot about integrating arts into the curriculum, but you can't really appreciate what that means until you see it done.

When students aren't in class, residence counselors offer help with homework and a sympathetic ear. The kids are still adjusting, and like college freshmen or first-time campers, some are homesick. The dorms are divided into "houses" of 10 kids each, and each house is named after a college - there's a "Princeton," a "Boston U," a "Towson" and a "Bowie State." SEED wants kids to get used to the idea that those are the kinds of places they're headed when they leave.

The school stresses character development. Core values include respect for others, self-discipline, empathy, perseverance, integrity and compassion. That's a tall order for 11- and 12-year-olds, most of whom have never lived away from home before. But those are social skills you need to make it in college, and SEED believes in starting early.

Of course, there have been growing pains. A few kids have left because they missed their families. Others find it tough keeping up. They're not used to homework every night plus weekend assignments , even though the counselors give them extra help. No TV or video games has also been a shock. Even cell phones are restricted .

But if they stick it out, these students will have many more choices for their future than most city public school students, up to 60 percent of whom drop out of high school. Compare that to the 10-year-old Washington SEED School: Almost all its students end up in college. Michael Jackson employed the contemporary slang of the 1980s when called that "bad" in his music video. What he really meant was: This is very good .