In 1993, William Lay founded Pioneer Youth Corps of Oregon as an after-school program. Like the Boy Scouts with an edge, PYCO used a regimented military structure to create a cadet program that taught outdoor training, survival techniques and leadership skills to at-risk teenagers.

Teaming up with the Springfield School District, PYCO (the corporation) developed PYCMA (Pioneer Youth Corps Military Academy) and opened as an alternative education school in 1997. This first year was a pilot program that began with twelve students. By the end of its second year, PYCMA had a waiting list of 57 students. However, in order to attend an alternative school, students had to be referred from the district to the program. Lay decided to cut out the middle man and applied for charter status, which would allow any student within the district to attend without a referral. In June 2000, the Eugene 4J district approved Lay’s program as a public charter school, and PYCMA became one of Eugene’s first charter programs.

Because PYCMA is classified as a “public” school, it is held to the same standards as any other public school within the district, including, for example, its performance on state standardized tests and its credit requirements for graduation. But because it is also a charter school, PYCMA can use alternative teaching methods. In keeping with the military structure, students here are rewarded for their leadership skills and their grades by ascending the ranks of this academy while taking on added responsibilities. At the same time, they are held accountable for inappropriate behavior through verbal warnings, corrective action and formal write-ups, all of which can collectively lead to a Court Martial Review Board. This structure is the foundation for PYCMA. However, while punishments (like writing sentences or staying after class) are widely used in classrooms, this school also uses physical correction.

PYCMA believes this tactic helps cadets connect a particular behavior with negative consequences and will therefore alter some of these behaviors. But within the larger educational community, there is concern that physical correction may sometimes border on corporal punishment.

Last summer, the district began an investigation of PYCMA. Three former employees from the school complained of PYCMA’s tactics alleging “instances of the staff singling out students to yell at, punish and otherwise intimidate; improper physical training that could cause injury; unsafe building conditions; insufficient attention paid to students threatening to hurt themselves or others.”

Pfc. Daniels falls in line with the rest of Alpha Company as it makes its way around the flag pole, down a ramp and into the trenches of PYCMA to dress down (that is, deviate from the school’s uniform) for PT. Alpha Company then files out of the building and marches in formation across the street to an almost empty parking lot.

Corporal Balcom, a PYCMA cadet for three years and the most senior member of Alpha, leads her company in PT.

“Uhh, lock it up and get it together,” Balcom says to some of the cadets who are giggling and chatting.

“For what? I hate this fucking school,” one cadet mouths back.

“Drop,” Balcom says with little authority. She means drop to the ground and start doing push-ups, which are the quickest and most widely used form of corrective action PYCMA. The cadet assumes the position but does not do a single push-up.

“I dropped, and now I’m up,” the cadet whispers to the student standing next to him.
“She didn’t say for how long,”

“I don’t know what exercise to do first,” Balcom says aloud.

“The first stretching exercise is the upper leg stretch,” Daniels reminds her.

“The first exercise is the upper leg stretch,” Balcom repeats.

“Upper leg stretch, Corporal Balcom,” the company responds.

“Left over right,” she says, and together the cadets from Alpha Company cross their left legs in front of their right legs.

“Stretch,” she says.

As the company counts to ten, someone says, “Man, we need Daniels back up front.”
“You want me to take over?” Daniels asks when they finish the stretch.

Balcom shoots him a look. Although he is a more effective leader, Daniels, a private, is out-ranked by Corporal Bascom. His grades are holding him back.

“I’m just asking you a question,” he says, knowing he could do a much better job of leading.

She finally does decide to give up her position.

“Daniels. Yeah! Hooah!” Cadet Jett says once Daniels has moved in front.

Balcom walks to a parking curb and sits down with her back to the company.

“The next exercise will be the push-ups.”

“The push-ups, Pfc. Daniels,” the cadets say in unison.

The entire company falls to the ground and begins.

“One, two, three, four -- I love the Marine Corps,” Cdt Jett says in a sarcastic tone.

“We’re doing ten more because of Jett,” Daniels says.

“Hooah,” Jett laughs.

“Twenty more because of Jett,” Daniels says.

Jett shuts up.