Law-related education (LRE) has been shown to produce positive changes in student attitudes toward school, parents, the police, and deviant behavior. Project NEXUS, a rural Appalachian program designed to address dropout prevention and predelinquent factors, was implemented in Ellijay (Georgia) Middle School. A group of 25 students, chosen because of discipline referrals or other at-risk factors, were invited to join the program; 15-18 attended weekly meetings throughout the first year. Community law-related resource persons were speakers at the meetings, which focused on respect for the law, concepts of law, citizen rights, and court procedures. The program also featured enrichment through field trips to the Atlanta zoo, an orchestra performance, an art museum, and juvenile hearings in a teen court. Two trips were also made to the local courthouse for orientation and trial observation. In the spring, NEXUS hosted Law Week activities. Teachers of NEXUS students reported improvement in classroom participation, cooperation with teacher, adjustment to the classroom environment, and attendance. Virtually all students made positive comments about the program. Characteristics of effective LRE programs such as NEXUS include teaching strategies that foster student interaction, careful selection of case materials, in-depth instruction, use of outside resource persons, peer support for teachers, and active involvement of building administrators. LRE resources are listed. (SV)