Durham, N.C. — A Durham public school has received a $600,000 grant to boost beneficial behavior the school announced Tuesday.

Healthy Start Academy, 807 West Chapel Hill St., serves students in fourth through eighth grades.

The grant money will fund a mentoring program with these goals:

• reduce the drop-out rate,
• improve academic performance,
• improve interpersonal relationships with peers, teachers, other adults and family members, and
• prevent juvenile delinquency and gang involvement.

School officials expect to serve 150 area students.