Dropping out of high school does not just affect the individual, but also bears a cost to a young person’s family and their community. According to a report from the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, students who drop out are more likely to enter the criminal justice system, be unemployed, earn less during their working life and to be on public assistance. According to the University of Vanderbilt, recovering just ONE high risk youth can save society between $4.3 and $7.7 million. In addition, a study by the University of Massachusetts, Boston, found that young people who leave high school before graduation are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.
The same report from the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction also lists some systemic changes schools can make to reduce drop out rates, the key change being a school that is adapted to the child it serves. According to the report, the biggest threat to graduation for an at-risk youth is a sense of alienation from a student’s academic community. This means creating small learning groups within the larger school where students can experience a sense of belonging and interact with each other as well as school staff. In addition, schools can perform better by providing for the academic needs of their young people by maintaining high expectations and creating curriculum that is meaningful to adolescents and based on how students learn best.
What helped you do well in school? A teacher? Your parents? We’d love to hear from you! Click here to leave a comment on our facebook page.
At American YouthWorks, we strive to provide the best learning environment for our students. Our Service Corps programs encourage academic and professional development and job skills training through small communities within the school that give students a hands on learning experience tied to their coursework. In order to encourage personal interest and interaction between students and teachers we keep our school and class sizes small. We have given thousands of at-risk youth a chance to help themselves and to become contributing members of society. In July, nearly 100 graduates walked across the stage and they earned $230,000 in scholarships and education awards. We were proud to invest in these youth and give them a chance to realize their potential. This August, we will welcome 115 high school diploma seekers and 30 GED students to AYW. To see pictures from Graduation, visit our facebook page.