Becky Brooks and Shannon Shipley have built something inside Centralia High School that started quietly but has become one of the school's most meaningful supports. What began years ago as Stop Tripping, a small program aimed at at-risk students, grew into Club180 and has now become Power Hour, a broader, more welcoming space grounded in the belief that every student deserves a place to talk through challenges and learn healthier ways forward.

Becky has been part of Centralia High School for more than 20 years. After 18 years of teaching business and computer classes, she moved into counseling, where her work blends academic planning, career conversations, and helping students manage stress, anxiety, organization troubles, and family-related struggles. Shannon teaches Family and Consumer Sciences and social sciences—child development, childcare, dual-credit education classes for future teachers, and a freshman orientation course on basic living skills. Between the two of them, they see nearly every kind of student experience.

Their collaboration began in 2011 when they were trained to work with students flagged for behavior or attendance concerns, but they soon realized the issues affecting students weren't limited to those in the "at-risk" category. Many students who looked fine on paper were overwhelmed internally. As Shannon says, "We're all at risk of failing in any area." That clarity led to the creation of Club180, a name students came up with themselves to emphasize turning toward better habits rather than focusing on mistakes.

This year, they widened the circle again. Power Hour is open to the entire student body, eliminating the idea that support is only for certain students. Meetings now take place after school on the first and third Thursdays, and transportation home is provided so no one is excluded. The shift from invitation-only to open-door was intentional: Becky and Shannon wanted students to walk in because they wanted help, not because an adult recommended them.

The meetings are structured but flexible. "We always come with a plan," Shannon says, "and it seldom goes the way we planned it." They bring topics—study skills, organization, time management, self-esteem, confidence, healthy relationships—but the students dictate what direction they go. Some days, students are quiet; other days, someone shares something personal that shifts the entire conversation. Confidentiality is essential. What students share stays in the room, which allows honesty without fear. Becky and Shannon model that commitment, and students follow their lead.

Attendance varies, but interest is steady. Some students come because they saw the announcement on social media or because their parents encouraged them. Others come with friends. This year, Becky and Shannon reached out to the English department—teachers who see all the students because they have to have four years of English—to identify students who might benefit. With those personal invitations, Power Hour began attracting young people who might not have walked in on their own.

Mentoring has long been part of the program. In earlier years, Becky and Shannon sometimes paired students with trusted adults in the building—often teachers who already had a natural connection with them. "Our staff is amazing," Shannon says. "I don't ever remember asking anybody when we've been like, oh, he would be a good fit or she'd be a good fit, and they turn us down. When we ask them  they're like, sure, I'll do it."

The topics reflect modern adolescence. Organization and study habits help stabilize students early in the year. Self-esteem and confidence have become central themes because students repeatedly request them. Healthy relationships—communication, trust, boundaries, and understanding functional versus dysfunctional dynamics—will take center stage next semester.

For adults who grew up in a different era, programs like Power Hour might seem unnecessary. But today's students live with pressures of social media, constant comparison, and shifting expectations. "I find myself saying frequently that I'm so glad I did not grow up and have to face the things that our students are facing," Becky says.

Power Hour is not about weakness; it's about acknowledging what students face now and giving them tools to manage it. Many who attend simply want to belong. Not all students join sports or clubs, but Power Hour gives them a place where connection requires no tryout, no prerequisite, and no explanation. Students discover that many of their struggles are shared, and that recognition alone can make school feel more manageable.