During the 1986-1987 school year, 80 educationally and economically disadvantaged students from three counties in Virginia were recruited into a program that was designed to support their education and encourage them to stay in school. Students participated in after-school workshops to improve their decision-making and interpersonal skills, and they attended weekend recreational activities. Counseling, which included assistance with family problems and encouragement in school work along with personal counseling, was provided. During the summer, students attended an 8-week, 152-hour class that emphasized basic skill development. Two classes used a specially designed curriculum in which the students planned and produced their own video show. Students earned high school and community college credit. Each week the students also worked as a group on community projects. They were paid for class and community work through the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program. Sixty-one students completed the school year program, and 44 completed the 8-week program, with 39 of them earning high school credit. The students showed significant gains in reading, math, and language arts as measured by the Miller Analogies Test. The project was quite successful in helping the students develop skills and provided them and their families with supportive counseling; however, the project staff was unable to measure any improvement in the students' attitudes toward school. (MN)