Now in its second year, the program, "Lifetime of Smart, Educated Reasoning" or "LOSER" was the brainchild of Stagler, who had grown weary of seeing her students drop out of high school without being prepared for what lies ahead.
"For too long we've had kids leaving [the school] and within six months they can't hold down a night-shift at the Wag-N-Bag because they couldn't make change or stock the pickle aisle alphabetically," she said. "That's inexcusable in today's competitive job market. Gotta be able to sort the baby gherkins."
On Tuesday, Stigler's class boarded the ferry "Kitsap" to practice commuting to Seattle for what the long-time educator hopes will be gainful employment in the coming months.
Seated in booths on the starboard side of the boat in an array of over-sized hoodies, Oakland Raider ball-caps and hand tattoos, the class donned safety goggles and raised their nicotine-stained hands skyward to practice surrendering to arresting officers for a variety of crimes, including possession of a controlled substance, public nudity and class-three domestic assault.
Pictured below (L to R) are Stagler and students Chad Hauser, 14, of Silverdale, and Jesse Rogers, 15, of Purdy, moments before being Tasered by a visiting officer from the Office of Homeland Security.
"This was so cool," Rogers said of the experience after the Taser barb was removed from his larynx. "We were thinking that, like, we could ask the policeman to do it again but he got all serious or something when Chad stood on the table and gave the rock-n-roll sign after he got shot."
The program is designed to be a multi-year process, but sometimes there are quick wins. Hauser, for instance, recovered from the electrocution to chat up the boat's galley manager Phyllis Barker and may have opened the next chapter is his bright future.
"She told me they need someone to clean the grease from the weiner rotor," he explained. "I can do that. And I like the idea of working with meat each day."
Barker confirmed that she offered Hauser the job, but confided in the Ferry Tales reporter that she was only half-serious. "Kid couldn't put a tube-steak on a skewer if his life depended on it," she said with a grin. "But I figure we can get him to clean out the grease traps for a few weeks until he realizes we ain't paying him."
Stagler was overcome with emotion at the news of Hauser's employment but offered caution. "These kids have a long road ahead of them. Not all of them are going to get the glamor jobs like Chad," she warned. "But it's an encouraging sign. This is the future of our nation."
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