Rite of Passage 'Rams Club' Community Minded Youth

On Saturday May 28, 2011, while a light sprinkle came down on Copperopolis, the youth from the Rite Of Passage Ram's Club tilled, hoed and cleared the community garden completing the final prep work for new starters that will be planted in the upcoming weeks.
The Rite of Passage school, located in San Andreas, is a school designed to offer programs and opportunities for troubled youth. From grade based curriculum, to counseling, to sports and skill development, the school promotes positive pathways in life.
To become a member of the Rams Club (the Ram is the school mascot), a youth must maintian a C or better GPA, show good behavior for a minimum of four months, show initiative in becoming a positive peer and be willing to participate in many community based events and work groups. Each member is evaluated regularily by teachers and staff for their performance in the above areas and must be voted in by existing members. One young man said, as he dug at a rock that was unwilling to move from the garden, "It is really a privledge to be a Ram."