Should students be paid for getting good grades?

One local businessman thinks it is an incentive that works, and he is putting up the cash to prove it.

We'll show you how his challenge program is recognizing good students.

Also tonight, we'll visit a spiritual garden in McCandless Township filled with plants and statues that reflect a religious theme and see how Pittsburgh's Art in transit program is giving riders a little culture with their community.

It's coming up next On Q, so stay connected.

Welcome to On Q magazine.

I'm Stacy Smith.

Parents and teachers are always looking for ways to try to motivate children to learn, but sometimes it takes a little something extra to get them interested.

And one area businessman has found that extra cash is the way to go.

A former Johnstown native who has made it big in the business world recently returned to his roots at Johnstown High School to inspire and to motivate students with what he calls the challenge program, On Q's Tonia.

Caruso reports.

As a businessman, I'm going to challenge you.

I'm going to challenge you to perform and then do your best.

And based on how you perform.

I'm going to give you a reward.

That's what I do in business.

I pay my employees to come to work and perform some service, but when they do the best, when they do an excellent job, I give them a bonus.

And that's what we're going to do here.

In this case, the bonus is $250.

The high school students who outperform the rest of their class will take home a $250 check at the end of the school year.

I was actually in disbelief.

I thought, they're probably not going to give me $250.

It's probably going to be like a a check that they take some money out of that, and they actually do give you $250.

And I just thought it was too good to be true.

How many kids can turn down free money?

Daniel Perkins wants to spread his wealth around his wealthy knowledge of the business world.

Plus some cold, hard cash to go along with it.

He came up with the challenge program to motivate high school students to show them how his rags to riches story could also happen to them.

But you can be rich.

But it's not about money.

It's all about achieving whatever your dream is and whatever you want to accomplish.

And you can do it very easily.

That motivation comes from some family or relatives.

It comes from a mentor or a teacher, but also comes from within.

You have to decide to make it happen.

And that's what I did.

I decided I'm going to push myself and make it happen.

Dan Perkins grew up in Johnstown, Cambria County, where he learned at a young age that he'd have to work hard if he wanted some money in his pocket.

Friend of mine told me he shined shoes.

And how do you do that when you just go down to Central Park or to the bar?

And yes, the guy they want to shine.

Shoe shine, and they shine and they pay you.

And I did that, and I and I made money.

And after school I'd go downtown.

I would do that.

Even at 11 years old.

Dan Perkins was thinking big.

One day I was walking past a car wash, and I see this long line of cars at the car wash, and I thought, there's my nirvana.

That's where I want to be, because I can see.

I can ask a whole lot more men if they want to receive shoe shine.

The owner of that car wash agreed to let him shine shoes there, as long as he didn't hold up the traffic.

We got a chair and the customer put his foot on one box and I shine that shoe, and my friend would do the other one, and, And it worked.

I mean, we were we were in business.

In fact, the productivity was so good that we end up going to another chair and another couple guy.

So we had the capability of doing a couple people.

Not only did his shoe shine business take off, he was also asked to work at the car wash.

And the owner soon became one of Dan Perkins biggest supporters.

My mentor ended up being Congressman John Murtha, and, he was phenomenal.

He's the one that motivated me.

I ended up running his business.

In fact, he had a couple businesses and I ran them for him in addition to, he commissioned me in the Marine Corps, and he was one of my biggest supporters throughout my life.

And he's my biggest inspiration from the Marine Corps.

I went to work for a management firm for a couple of years.

My desire was to do my own thing.

I want to start my own business.

And so, in 1991, I hung up my shingle and I started my company, a management consulting business.

His business is called MTS technologies, and it's a nationally known company with offices in nearly a dozen states.

And now Dan Perkins is spreading that success to the classroom.

He wants high school students, especially in his hometown of Johnstown, to see that hard work pays off.

My dream was to come back at some point in time and do something for the for the schools and something to challenge students and reward them for that challenge.

We chose four areas to focus on.

Well, of course we want the best grades, but we also want to focus on the most improved grades.

We want to focus on attendance.

You've got to be there.

So perfect attendance.

And also so that they would learn to give back to the community the spirit of giving community service.

And a lot of them have had, requirements to perform community service.

First of all, thank you for your attention.

The program spread into other school districts, giving each category winner a $250 check at the end of the school year.

When it started to add up fast, Dan started asking other companies to help.

Actually, it was at the inception of the program.

We were approached to see if we wanted to be a corporate sponsor, and we, being that high marks corporate mission and a lot of it is, a community mission.

We, decided to accept at that time, you didn't hear that you're going to invest.

Basically, the challenge program rewards the kids and rewards the community.

And therefore, we wanted to take part.

We want to reinvest in the people that make us who we are.

Tyson Cook of Somerset Trust Company is also part of the Challenge Program Assembly and students certainly take notice when he speaks.

During my assembly, I hand out $5 bills for good answers, for correct answers.

And when I come back in the spring now giving checks for $250, no strings attached.

And, you can see it in their faces and you can see it in their movement.

And, it's well worth our money.

It's well worth our time to be here to do that.

It's actually very rewarding to see the, completion of the program and the award winners.

And, you know, you can actually see some growth within the, the children that, that we're working with here.

The school administrators tell me that that that grades have gone up, attendance has gone up, and just overall interest in school has gone up.

The business community, they love it and they want to continue it.

The students also love the challenge program and credited for their success.

But the challenge program was like a little extra push that just let me know that I could do it when I doubt it myself.

And we have community service award winners right up here in the front.

So in case you don't think this can happen, we have real life examples right here in the front row.

Well, I've always been thinking about college and the fact that my grade point average didn't help.

So the challenge program came along and challenged me.

The $250 to push my grade point average up.

So in the process of trying to win the $250, I pushed my grade point average up.

And now college things a little bit closer, a goal that I can possibly achieve.

You know, I decided way back then that I wanted to make something happen in my life.

Dan Perkins inspired me a lot because he was a Johnstown graduate and came back to Johnstown to help out.

It's good to know that he still cares about where he came from.

I thought all the speakers are really good.

I especially like Daniel Perkins and how his message was that even though you can, you come from this area and you can still go and do big things and have big accomplishments and succeed in the world and become, a public figure, perhaps a success, like Dan Perkins, who's proud of his accomplishments in the business world, but most proud of the challenge program in schools.

We started the first year doing one school, then we did 15 schools, then we did 30 schools last year, and they tell me, this year we're going to do about 82 schools, and that's continuing to grow as we speak.

Our goal is to just a phase one get Pennsylvania up and running, make this a statewide program.

And the long goal is make it a national program.

The challenge program is well on its way to becoming a statewide program.

It's in schools throughout western Pennsylvania, including Armstrong, Fayette and Greene counties.

And now Allegheny County is getting involved.

For more information on how you can get the challenge program to come to your school, log on to our website at wqed.org/OnQ and Stacey, lots of schools are seeing great success with this.

Some critics, I'm sure, would say, why should you pay students for something they're supposed to do anyway?

You're absolutely right.

Many critics are saying that about the program, but Dan Perkins philosophy is and he will tell you the kids should be taught what the business world is like.

Sure, you can show up for work and do a good job, but if you go above and beyond, you should be awarded for that reward for that.

And that's what he's trying to drive home to these kids.

It's really just an incentive to get them involved in.

And I guess the theory is who knows where they can go after that?

Well, one young man's comments I thought were quite enlightening.

He said he went for the money and then the same time as great starts to come up now he can achieve another goal of reaching college.

And that's exactly what they hope happens.

All right, Tonia, thank you.

Still to come, a local garden filled with plants and statues that follows a religious theme.

We'll take you on a tour and find out what inspired the owner to create this spiritual garden.

Also coming up.

But you'll see how the Port Authority is adding culture to its writers.

Commutes with a program called Art in transit.

It is all still to come, so stay connected.

You're watching On Q magazine because these foundations care enough about local programing to help pay for it.

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The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Grable Foundation, the Eden Hall Foundation.

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And we couldn't do it without you.

The members of WQED.

As you know, gardens are created for many different reasons.

For some, the goal is fresh vegetables or flowers, and for others it is to create a peaceful retreat.

Well, for the gardener we profiled in this next story, the motivation was more spiritual.

Post-Gazette garden columnist and On Q contributor Doug Oster has the story.

This is God's garden.

I'm just trying to make it better and better each day.

My garden is like me.

It's a work in progress.

Francis May-Burke has been working on her creation for years, and she's hoping to share her garden with church groups.

Her deep religious beliefs are what drove her to build this place.

You come to the garden alone.

You're never alone.

You know, God's presence is always there.

And that's what you need to realize.

Once you realize that his presence is always there.

Whether you know, no matter what, then the walk is always easier.

And this is nice.

How?

The dry stream bed, how that comes down into the.

And a stroll through her spiritual garden is a breeze.

Each step reveals another biblical reference.

Visitors entering the circular meditation area are welcomed into an area meant for relaxation and reflection.

You have to come and sit there because once you come and sit, Then you know what it's feels like.

And the trees are actually like a canopy over.

You know that area.

Why did I do the circle?

It was like life.

It's never ending.

And the Trinity, you know, father, son, Holy Spirit, a place where you can go and sit and meditate and think and.

Do things that maybe most people don't do.

And that's how when relationship with him.

Each turn reveals new, unexpected pleasures.

Lamb's ears, Solomon's seal and ferns all complement the theme.

And it's a labyrinth that offers visitors a spiritual journey of discovery.

People can come and sit on the deck and walk through this labyrinth and understand what that walk is all about.

It might be a lot of feelings that you're taking in there, but when you walk through and you come to the center, it's like walking through your life and coming to the center of who you are.

And when you come out, you come out feeling just a little bit different.

You know?

And that's the purpose.

And it's my purpose is to have somebody use it and enjoy it.

But it's not all that serious.

There's some whimsy in this garden, too.

Yeah, the praying mantis.

And why?

You know, it's like, here he is.

He's a praying mantis.

And, you know, you make that relationship between prayer and a praying mantis.

And maybe some people might think is not the nicest of our insects, but he's there as a symbol that this is something that we all need to do every moment of the day in order to keep ourselves balanced.

Francis scours the North Hills looking for the right plants and decorations for the garden.

She received quite a surprise after one purchase.

And then I saw Mr.

Wu.

I didn't have a name for him because he's not Buddhist or anything.

He's just a lawn ornament.

He's related to his brother.

That's on the path where there are two lanterns.

And it said, God, light your path.

But Mr.

Wu was picked up in circles and he was put in the back of my car.

And I'm driving down 19.

I stop and I have a fit because I'm thinking somebody is in the back seat of my car and it's Mr.

Wu.

So there he is, you know, laughing in me having this story about him, which is so and so wonderful.

The garden Francis built was constructed with passion and meant to provide a message.

And although the world is filled with exotic places to visit, there's only one place this gardener longs to explore.

You know, people always look for places to go and relax.

You know they want to go to Jamaica, in Hawaii and you can come to the garden.

You can relax to me.

You can be comforted here.

You can look around and just be in awe of God who is so totally awesome.

And you haven't gone anywhere and you haven't spent a penny.

And for more information to set up a tour of this spiritual garden, log on to our website wqed.org/OnQ.

Now still to come for the thousands of public transportation writers in the Pittsburgh area.

It is a way to add a little culture to your commute.

See who is behind the Art in transit program.

Well, On Q continues.

Stay connected.

Remember, you have three chances a day to catch On Q. We're live weeknights at 7:30.

We show you that episode later the same night at midnight, and again the following afternoon at 12:30 On Q, 7:30, midnight, and 12:30 the following weekday afternoon.

Have you been to the On Q website?

We've got details on upcoming episodes On Q Special reports and documentaries.

You can find info on past episodes and even watch some of them online.

It's also your chance to contact us with your story ideas, comments, and requests.

Just go to WQED.org/OnQ.

Well, public transportation riders have a little more to look at these days.

Instead of being limited to the typical placards and verdict myths, you might expect to see on a bus or light rail car.

Now local artwork is on display as well.

On Q, contributor Susie Meister recently took a ride through the city to see how riders are responding to their new, more cultured commutes.

Port authority has found an innovative way to promote transit and local artists, and today we're going to find out more about it.

Are you guys ready?

Yeah.

Let's do it.

Art in transit project at Port Authority, Sprout Fund and a group of independent artists put together local artist where we created art.

The artist created the art and Port Authority printed and gave space for the art project.

It was two people.

It was Jennifer Gibson and Fred Delaney met at a bus stop.

They started formulating a plan on how to make it happen.

Well, the main goal is to promote art in Pittsburgh as well as to promote transit.

Let people know the Port Authority is part of the art community and reaching out to our community.

This is my favorite one because I think it kind of it asks for interaction.

And when you look at this, if you don't smile and it doesn't make it day, then something's wrong.

Because of the beauty of the fact that it is just a suggestion.

That's not right.

There's a many different reasons why we want to focus on alternative transportation, and drawing some attention to what can be unique and fun and creative.

Even about a bus ride is an important part about what makes Pittsburgh a cool place.

All the artists and all the transit are local artists, and I think they've all brought a very unique vision to the project in their own way.

I actually wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.

I mostly played people and moments and things like that, so I wasn't sure, like transit, what to do with it.

I thought I'd put together a selection of photographs that really captured something about, Pittsburgh's urban experience and what you can experience by using public transit.

I remember when it just started, she was just like, okay, something with art and busses.

And then it grew into this really, really amazing project.

Or the basis of the project was we kind of had some parameters that we were hoping for, something either related to Pittsburgh neighborhoods or to transit itself.

Essentially, I came here.

One thing that became immediately part of my life was to hang out at designers all the time.

For me, the diner was where, because I transferred the most from another country, it was a little weird getting here, and.

But everyone at the diner was willing to talk to us.

This is from a series of mine called the inertia series.

So it all has to do with inertia, which is, resistance to change in motion.

It's sort of a survey of how a little journey through Pittsburgh and some of the neighborhoods I go to a lot.

It actually starts a little bit in Oakland.

You kind of work your way across the bridge into the south side.

I like this one.

Yeah, with the chairs.

Then the classic Pittsburgh maneuver.

You take your family and friends for joyrides on the bus to show off your work.

No, actually this happens to be the first time I've gotten to see my work on an actual bus.

How do you feel?

It's awesome.

Yeah, it's a great experience.

It's a lot more exposure than you would normally get.

It's taking it out of the galleries where you get a much different and a much smaller subset of the population, and bringing it out on the busses to the people.

One of the things that I liked about this said, it was like taking the art out of the artist's hands and putting it somewhere else where other people are actually going to see people that maybe normally wouldn't.

Yeah, exactly.

The response from riders, it's all anecdotal, I think.

I'm a I'm a Port Authority rider myself.

It was always nice to see the work on the busses, and I think anecdotally, people seem to love it.

Port authority likes to say that we connect people to life, and we also connect people to art.

Well, the Art in transit program is ongoing, and Port Authority hopes to hold another call for artists soon to solicit new artwork.

Now, in the meantime, you can look at all of the placards and purchase a copy of your favorite on the Art in transit website.

And to get there, you can log on to our website wqed.org/OnQ.

And before we go this evening, here now is a quick look at what is coming up tomorrow and also a look ahead to an On Q special edition coming up one week from tonight.

Tomorrow night On Q it's an issue that's going to affect you some way sometime.

We are talking about transportation in the Pittsburgh region and across the state.

Tomorrow night, we'll take a close look at the current state of public transportation.

Thousands of riders depend on it every day, but transit systems across Pennsylvania are facing big budget problems.

Do lawmakers have a solution?

Find out what they're proposing now.

Also, tomorrow, we'll take a look at the Port Authority's plans to build a new extension to its subway system, this time under water.

What lessons have been learned from building the first subway?

We'll take a look back at the original construction project and a look toward what lies ahead and beneath.

It's groundbreaking for the new tunnel gets closer.

And after that, we'll wrap it all up with a comprehensive look at our roads, bridges, traffic, and more.

Our taxpayers getting the services and safety precautions that they are paying for.

We'll have the latest information as we focus on transportation in our region tomorrow night On Q. Stay connected.

We have to prove ourselves.

Prove they don't deserve to be made fun of.

We're not puppies.

We don't want patted on the head like puppies.

They gathered in Pittsburgh for the Little People convention.

Some were surprised a TV station would even take the time to cover it.

We did, and will also introduce you to two 10 year old local brother hoping attitudes are changing as opposed to saying it's on the inside, basically.

Don't miss the little people on the Emmy Award winning On Q Monday at 7:30.

And thank you for watching.

We'll see you back here tomorrow night at 7:30.

Stay connected and have a great night.