Many students at North Central High School are initially attracted to the Learning Unlimited program for its relaxed environment and flexible schedule. But their commitment to the program runs much deeper than that.

"It builds the person that you are because you're out in the community so much. And not only does it strengthen your college resume, but it strength ens you as a person," says Anna Kimble-Roberson, 16.

Learning Unlimited is best described as North Central's "school-within-a-school." It combines the traditional academics of college-prep courses with community-based experiences and contract-based learning.

Y-Press interviewed five LU students to find out more about the program. Besides Anna, they are Terrance Hunter and Hadley Nicholson, both 18, and Annilu Barajas and Caitlin Wild, both 17.

While Washington Township freshmen and sophomores can get a taste of LU by taking a class or two, it is primarily geared to upperclassmen. LU classes are more personalized than the regular academic courses at North Central.

"Instead of the normal teacher/student relationship, it's more of student/mentor," Caitlin says. "The teachers really know you. They go out of their way to say, 'Oh, so how was your date with so-and-so last week?' No other teacher really takes time to see how we're doing."

"We get to call our teachers by their first names. That's pretty relaxed," adds Terrance.

LU is a tight-knit group. Students are close to their teachers as well as to each other. "LU is kind of like a family. I've been in LU for three years, since my freshman year. I've had the same people in my classroom, and it's like you really get to know the people," says Annilu.

All LU students must commit time to community service or experiences, such as cultural events. In addition, LU sponsors field trips and projects such as an annual canned food drive; volunteering at Very Special Arts of Indiana, a nonprofit organization devoted to disabled artists; and a book drive for needy children.

"We also do like a lot of things outside of school together, like there is bowling, and we do restaurant takeovers and things like that," says Terrance.

Juniors and seniors take volunteering to a higher level. Each student finds a service activity that interests him or her, and their LU classes meet four days a week instead of five. During LU classes on Wednesdays, students are free to visit their communities. "I love the fact that on Wednesdays, it's just a different pace. It's not going to your classes all day long; it's going somewhere else and being able to help the community and do something that you enjoy doing," says Hadley.

LU students are required to complete a minimum of 18 hours of volunteer work each semester.

"I do mine at the Holliday Park Nature Center," says Terrance. "I chose it because that's as close as I'm gonna get right now to what I want to major in in college, which is zoology. I usually work with a naturalist when they have certain classes on the weekends. I go to mine on Saturday because Wednesdays they usually don't have a lot of work for the volunteers that come in."

Hadley volunteers at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf.

"The reason I go there is because I think that I want to major in education, and I am myself hearing-impaired. So I like being involved with people who are hearing-impaired," she says.

Many choose assignments based on career interests.

"I go to the Institute for Forensic Imaging, which specializes in digital forensics, such as surveillance and other branches of that," says Caitlin. "I really love it. I want to be in a natural-science field, preferably forensics, when I go into college. I think it's the most interesting thing in the world."

Others want to help those in need. Anna works for Teen Link, a "hotline for teens who have problems, which can be anything from parents to homework, to serious problems such as child abuse or rape," she says.

Annilu does her community work at the Hispanic Center.

"I enjoy my community (work) because it gives me the opportunity to help my own people since I'm Hispanic. I get to translate and help little kids with their homework. I get to tutor adults in learning English. Every week I receive a postcard thanking me for being a volunteer. But I should be the one that's grateful because they offer me the experience," she says.

LU is rewarding in many ways.

Students are proud of the volunteer work they do and the friendships they make, but the LU curriculum also teaches them independence.

"It's a good way to help prepare yourself for college because it's more focused on self-discipline than having a totally structured class, and when you get to college, you're not gonna have that," says Caitlin.

The program has other requirements. For example, LU students must sign a contract that outlines what they will accomplish over the semester.

"It's not like we just do the community work," says Annilu. "We have to actually keep up a journal and turn in a portfolio and all this other stuff. It drives you crazy when you have to turn it all in."

Caitlin says they have to do the same amount of coursework as a college prep course -- but in four days, not five.

"It's also a little bit more challenging because of the fact that we are on a time limit," adds Anna.

"But it's not as hard as we make it sound. I mean, it's rewarding and it's enjoyable and it's fun," says Hadley.

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Justin Riley, 16.

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Y-Press is a nonprofit news organization with offices in The Indianapolis Star building. Stories are researched, reported and written by teams of young people ages 10 to 18. For more information, call (317) 444-2010 or send an e-mail to ypress@in.net.

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