Overcome Adversity

Some teens have serious issues in their lives that can seem more important than schoolwork. But it’s important to set goals for your future and to find ways to achieve them. Unfortunately, some groups of teens are more likely to drop out of high school than others. Hispanic or Latino students drop out in greater percentages than Black or White students. And there is still a gap in the percentages of White and Black students dropping out – in the year 2000, 6.1% of Black students dropped out as compared to 4.1% of White students. Students from low-income households also drop out in greater percentages than students from other households (10% of low-income students dropped out of grades 10-12 in the year 2000, as compared to 1.6% of students from high-income families). Both of these risk factors (ethnicity and income) point to larger problems of inequality in our society.

What all this means is that some students are more likely to face situations that lead them to drop out of school than others. It is important to get the help you need to overcome these statistics and to shape your own future.

Make Your School Better

Do you hate your school so much that you want to drop out? Instead of dropping out because your school isn’t the right “fit” for you, how about changing your school to fit your needs? These tips are also helpful for students who want to help make their schools a better place!

• Tired of the classroom? Or convinced that school doesn’t teach you anything you’ll need in the real world? Suggest projects to your guidance counselor or teacher that would get you outside. Community service, internships, and work shadow programs (designed for students to learn about a job or career by following a community member around throughout his or her day) can all be helpful in teaching you outside of a classroom. Plus you can learn practical skills for when you try to find a job!
• Build a support group. If you know that you’re at risk for dropping out, ask for help! Guidance counselors, relatives, teachers, other students, and community leaders can help you. Talking to others about the problems you’re facing might help you to find solutions. Think about starting a weekly lunch meeting for kids with school problems and teachers who want to provide support. Finding a tutor or mentor in a particular subject can also help you to focus on your schoolwork and to stay motivated.
• Resolve conflicts. Are there fights at your school, or disagreements between students and teachers? Suggest to a school leader (your principal, guidance counselor, a teacher you trust, etc.) that your class take a day or week to learn conflict resolution. There are programs out there (check under “Resources”) that can teach kids and adults alike how to solve problems between people. This way school becomes a safer and more welcoming place to be.
• Look at school policy. Does your school have crazy rules or policies that make life difficult? If you don’t understand why a policy at your school exists (like “All students must take computer science for three years in order to graduate,” or “Students must not take two different foreign language classes at the same time”), talk to someone at your school about it. Maybe it’s time to look at why your school operates the way it does. It might be time to change those old rules in favor of new ones!
• Find your learning style. So maybe lectures make you fall asleep, or written lab instructions make no sense to you. You might be a visual learner (you learn best by seeing information that is presented to you, like on an overhead projector or on a handout), an auditory learner (you learn best from hearing and listening), or an experience learner (you learn best through doing things yourself). Tell your teacher or guidance counselor if something isn’t working for you. Your teacher might be able to find a way to accommodate your learning style in his or her lessons!
• Get involved. Instead of dropping out, get involved with your school! Find your place in a club, sports team, or other extracurricular activity. Get your community involved with your school, through a community work day (the students work at various jobs in the community for a fundraising project) or a work shadow event. Change your school environment through running for student government.

Get Back into School

Have you already dropped out or are you convinced that you MUST drop out? Give yourself a better future by finding a way to get the skills you need to survive in today’s workforce. Here are some ideas:

• Go back to school. If possible, return to school after a year off, or even sooner. The longer you wait the harder it will be to get back into the whole high school scene.
• Find an alternative way to get your diploma. Get your GED (General Education Development) certificate or inquire about alternative schools in your area.
• Become an apprentice. Know what job you want to be able to do? Learn it from someone! You might learn carpentry, automobile repair, or another craft or technical skill. This way you’ll have a skill that sets you apart from others in the workforce.
• Find a vocational school. Already know your ideal career choice? Many schools offer you the chance to learn a skill or craft that you can take into the workforce. You might become a masseuse, a hairstylist, an electrician, a plumber, or any number of other things.
• Find out if the military is right for you. Usually you will need a diploma or its equivalent (such as a GED) in order to join the military. If you think the military is right for you, research the different branches such as the marines or coastguard. Talk to young people who are already in the military, if possible. For some people a military career can be a rewarding experience.