Jenni Berz

In less than a decade Brainerd's graduation rate increased from about 30 percent to more than 70 percent of its students earning a high school diploma, school officials said.

"There's a lot of good things going on," said Karen Jackson, Brainerd High school's family partnership specialist.

The school also has the Bistro, the only student-operated restaurant in the school system.

Ms. Jackson was one of dozens of Brainerd education representatives and residents meeting at the Brainerd Recreation Center on Monday to discuss the neighborhood's many schools.

Brainerd has several community colleges within walking distance, said community volunteer Jenni Berz. Ms. Berz is the daughter of Councilwoman Carol Berz, who represents the Brainerd area along with Councilman Russell Gilbert.

"We've got a wealth of elementary, secondary and college facilities in the area," Jenni Berz said. "No other area of town that I know of has the number of colleges or continuing education opportunities that we have in that close proximity."

University of Phoenix, Virginia College of Business and Health, Chattanooga State Community College, ITT Technical Institute and Chattanooga College all are within three miles of each other in the Brainerd Community, she said.

The goal is to get people who work and live in Brainerd to get involved with the schools, said Candy Corneliussen, chairwoman of the steering committee for the Brainerd Unity Group, which hosted the meeting.

"That's how you turn a community around," she said. "The schools are about families, people who live in the neighborhood."

Barger Academy has had such an increase in enrollment that the school is "bursting at the seams," said Kelly Coffelt, assistant principal.

She said the school gained 100 students this year and the school needs more space. The school wants to relocate into the old 21st Century School that closed this year, she said.

Hamilton County school board member Jeffrey Wilson said that Barger could be a possibility for 21st Century, but some private schools also have expressed interest. He said the board is still studying the options.

Mr. Wilson said Brainerd High is working to continue improving its graduation rate.

It's good that the graduation rate has doubled in less than 10 years, but the state wants the school has to have a 94 percent graduation rate, he said.

The school also is seeking adults to be mentors to ninth-graders with the belief that if freshman are successful academically and receive guidance during that year, they will have the foundation needed to graduate high school.