Incoming high school freshmen with a history of low achievement, discipline problems, and hostility towards school and society are characterized by poor self-image, frustration from encountering the regular academic program, an almost total inability to communicate, and no expectation that high school will bring educational success. The resulting need was for a special academic program that would make learning more meaningful, create an effective climate conducive to altering negative self-image, provide for positive rather than aversive reinforcement, and increase existing intellectual skills. Such a program was begun in the 1968-69 academic year at the Casa Grande, Arizona, Union High School. Students who were involved in the special program during the 1968-69 and 1969-70 academic years differed from their predecessors. Only nine and one-half percent dropped out of school compared to 20 percent in previous years. Absenteeism averaged only five percent among these youth compared to an average 12 to 15 percent among comparable youth. Minimal increase in intellectual skills was also demonstrated as most students showed a post-test increase on a test designed to measure potentiality in the areas of abstract reasoning, numerical ability, verbal ability, and language usage. (Authors/JM)