Moving from San Clemente to Los Gatos into a new home and a new school wasn't an easy transition for Tyler as a freshman, and cutting classes and disciplinary problems resulted.

"I did just about anything to fit in," said Tyler, with a sense of humor. "I wore my pants below my butt and tried to talk slang."

The 18-year-old eventually decided he wanted to attend a four-year college and teach English, so he enrolled in summer school and doubled up on English classes to raise his grade point average. Every year, there was a new motivation, such as a girlfriend or a teacher he was trying to impress. Now he's well on his way to becoming an English major at San Francisco State University, according to Elsie Taketa, his academic adviser.

"I never thought about scholarships," Tyler said. "I screwed up so bad I never thought they applied to me."

Despite all odds, Tyler is one of eight recipients of the sixth annual 2004 Turnaround Scholarship, awarded by Los Gatos Kiwanis on May 20. Tyler's interests in skateboarding and in reading and English, plus support from his family and teachers, have helped him improve his life.

Turnaround scholarships help students who might not otherwise be recognized for their efforts because they are not eligible for regular scholarships, according to Los Gatos High School Principal Trudy McCulloch.

"These are the kids who don't normally get honored because they don't have the GPA," McCulloch said.

McCulloch, a member of Los Gatos Kiwanis, initiated the scholarship program when she became principal in 1998.

School officials, leaders from Los Gatos and Saratoga, parents and students attended the May 20 scholarship awards luncheon at the Los Gatos Lodge. Kiwanis members awarded $1,000 scholarships to the eight students. The Saratoga High recipient was senior Ramy El-Diwany, with Nova alternative education program winners including Los Gatos senior Cody Franks, Los Gatos senior Rachel Holmes and Saratoga senior Hunter Laux, along with Los Gatos High School seniors Becky Baumstein, Jacqueline Michaelsen, Travis Register and Tyler.

Scholarship recipients made sure to give a special hug, handshake or word of appreciation to Kiwanis member Leo Shortino. Shortino's family trust annually donates $50,000 to the turnaround-scholarship programs in five school districts in the South Bay, including $3,000 this year in turnaround scholarships to the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

"I'm the one donating all the money," said Shortino jokingly, a former educator in Marin and Alameda counties.

Each student was introduced by an academic adviser or teacher who had watched the student's transformation from freshman to senior year. One of last year's scholarship recipients from Los Gatos High School, Adam Breslin, served as a guest speaker. Breslin attends De Anza Community College and expects to transfer to USC in the fall. Breslin expressed his gratitude for the scholarship he received last year.

"I didn't have to get a job to pay for college, and it enabled me to concentrate on my work," Breslin said. "Being recognized for my efforts of turning around was the most meaningful part."

Los Gatos Kiwanis was founded in 1924 and has about 50 members. More than $75,000 is allotted annually in the Santa Clara Valley for Kiwanis Turnaround Scholarships.

District Director of Educational Services Steve Lopez, who oversees Nova, described Cody as having a variety of challenges, from a dismal grade point average to medical issues.

"The joke was that every Monday was a 'Code Holiday' because he took three-day weekends," Lopez said.

But the blue-haired senior now maintains a 4.0 GPA while leading academic activities and serving as a role model to his peers.

After being placed in Nova two times, Rachel has also turned around, working two jobs, playing the lead in a Nova play and raising her GPA. She serves as an intern for the West Valley Clean Water program and is shouldering extra classwork to complete graduation requirements.

Chatty Becky has learned not to disrupt class.

"I couldn't keep my mouth shut," she said. "I had no plans of going to college. I was going to be a beauty school dropout. No matter how hard I studied, I never got a better grade than a C."

After being diagnosed with a learning disability and attention deficit disorder, Becky made steady improvement, maturing as an upperclassman and raising her GPA to a 3.6.

Jacqueline's GPA has gone from a 1.4 freshman year to a 3.4 senior year. After giving up summers to take extra classes, she'll be graduating on track from high school on June 11.

While he suffered academically in his freshman year, Travis is now getting A's and B's in preparatory-college classes. Even though he has a diabetic condition, he plays volleyball year-round and hopes to walk onto the volleyball team at Chico State University, where he plans to major in business.