Since they began participating in a summer program last month at Prescott School, "Kind" Kaylee and "Sunny" Sabrina - adjective names the sisters picked for themselves - have undergone a change.
Instead, they cooperate.
When Sabrina recently stayed overnight at a friend's house and couldn't get all her gear ready for the program's upcoming camping trip, Kaylee, 11, packed her 9-year-old sibling's backpack to ensure she had everything she needed.
"They look after each other now," said Michael McNulty, the girls' father.
"It's actually taken us a little bit to get used to," he added with a chuckle. "But I like the attitude change in them since they started going."
Cheryl McNulty, their mother, gets weekly postcards from teachers who report on her daughters' progress.
They share more, one note reads.
They are helping campmates out, another says.
"They are becoming more aware of how much potential they have," said the mother.
The Summer Arts, Leadership and Tutoring Program is all about transformation.
In its 10th year, the seven-week "camp" aims to build self-esteem, instill confidence, create leaders and teach respect and compassion among children, especially those identified as at-risk because of financial or family circumstances or homelessness.
A federal grant funds the program which runs from 9 a.m. to 3: 30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Teachers, school counselors or local social service agencies refer many of the fourth- through eighth-graders who attend.
Backgrounds vary. Some youths may frequently move in and out of area schools as their parents try to maintain affordable housing. Some families barely make ends meet and can't afford to pay for other summer education programs.
A few kids live with friends or relatives. Some are homeless or live at Joseph's Residence, the YMCA transitional housing or a domestic violence shelter.
When it began a decade ago, the program served about 20 kids annually. In the last five years, enrollment grew to about 30 youths. But this summer, it nearly doubled to about 58 children.
Organizers attribute the increase to more teacher and parent awareness and an increase in the number of qualifying low-income families.
"This year we got referrals out early, before parent-teacher conferences," said Barbara Riley, project director of Family BASICS/WORD (Women's Opportunity and Resource Development), which operates the camp with Missoula County Public Schools.
"A lot of teachers talked to families about us during conferences," she said. "The number of families living on the edge is also up."
Students work at art projects, leadership skills, conflict resolution, reading and computer technology in classrooms, but also learn about the outdoors as they backpack up Rattlesnake Canyon, hike Mount Sentinel, swim and visit the public library.
In many cases, they learn they are stronger than they often perceive themselves and have greater potential to learn, grow and lead than they first thought.
In a classroom Monday, Charley Pope, 11, a Washington Middle School sixth-grader, used a computer to design a summer yearbook page. Photos of students hiking mixed with text that she moved around the screen.
"I really like this class," she said.
Pope also is a voracious reader and particularly enjoys the Harry Potter series of books. She looks forward to the group's weekly visit to the library on Tuesdays, she said.
"The activities are focused on giving these kids confidence," said John Lilburn, a WORD family advocate.
With most families facing significant challenges, Lilburn tries to remove barriers that otherwise might stand in the way of enrolling their child. He'll visit a family at home during the evening to provide paperwork. He'll arrange transportation if needed.
"We try to make it as easy as possible for them," he said.
"A program that low-income kids can do that is free makes a huge difference for our families," said Melissa Neff, a Western Montana Mental Health Center case manager who refers some of her clients to the program.
"Usually, their poverty level excludes them from participating in other programs that carry a cost ... and it's a great camp," she said. "The people who run it are very well-trained. They respond to the individual's needs."
Program coordinator Michal Telle said one of her main goals is to teach students skills to appropriately handle situations and resolve conflicts.
Her greatest concern as an educator is if they retain what they learn.
That's why so many lessons are taught through games and activities in which students learn by action, sometimes without even realizing they've developed new skills
They make decisions, share opinions and speak to the group, she said. Putdowns aren't allowed and classmates identify insults and point them out immediately if any surface.
By the end of the seven weeks, Telle said she sees youngsters who show more compassion toward each other.
"It's been a good experience for me," said Kaylee McNulty, soon to be a Washington Middle School seventh-grader.
She said the program has challenged her abilities and made her work hard while having fun.
"I've learned how to cooperate with other people, even when we don't always get along," she said. "We learn to work together as a team instead of just as individuals."
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