A new beginning for Philadelphia high school drop outs
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Philadelphia's much-publicized high school drop-out rate hovers around 50 percent – and many drop-outs never return to school. But more than 200 young people are having a new go at a diploma at a charter school; it's a chance they had to earn. Maiken Scott reports from WHYY's Behavioral Health desk:
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Students celebrate their admission to YouthBuild Charter school in September.
Each of the students who got into the one-year program has worked hard to get there:
Sidhu: This is as much about you choosing us, as us choosing you.
Youthbuild executive director Simran Sidhu says motivation is key in being admitted to this school, which caters to people between the ages of 18 – 21. About 900 people apply every year. Applicants have to show up for an interview, then go through an in-depth orientation, and finally, complete what's known as "mental toughness" training:
Sidhu: It's 8 days of you have to be there on time every day, you have to go by the school's rules. Really, the most important thing is that it starts students off with a feeling of success, that yes, they CAN do it.
That's something the 214 students in this year's incoming class will have to continue to prove every day – as they complete a challenging curriculum split evenly between academics and practical job training.
Sidhu: Our students for example in the building trades training track rebuild abandoned houses in the city, so that when they leave, they have the sense that they have a trade, I have something to prove that I did this, and I built this house, and nobody is ever taking that away from you.
YouthBuild Executive director Simran Sidhu
Mornings at YouthBuild on Broad Street begin with an assembly. Dean Ameen Akbar discusses what's on the agenda for the week, and leads the students in their school pledge, which reinforces concepts like dedication, and respect.
The students wear YouthBuild t-shirts and khakis. Many are covered in tattoos – but they are as eager as first-graders to be called on by Akbar.
Akbar says his relationship with students is built on mutual respect:
Akbar: There's a reason why we don't have metal detectors and never will have metal detectors. There is a reason why we don't have school police, and will never have school police. People have told our students that yeah, I respect you. But when they see us play it out, when we say thank you to them, when we make a mistake, we apologize to them – these are things that they haven't gotten by and large in their communities, in their families, and quite frankly, in school.
Gregory Jefferies, YouthBuild student
Jefferies: I couldn't focus, because you had guys in the back of the classroom, rolling up blunts, marijuana, smoking with the windows open, it was like the teachers were inferior to the students, they were not showing any discipline whatsoever.
After a several-year hiatus, Jefferies is now determined to get his diploma:
Jefferies: You can't really move on in life without your diploma, having your diploma is they key to unlock another door in life.
Jefferies is 20, and has two young children. About half of all students at YouthBuild have children, and face a myriad of other challenges. Many become homeless over the course of the year, their families struggle with drug and alcohol addictions, and then, says Ameen Akbar, there is the ever present specter of violence:
Inspirational messages and letters from students in the hallways.
The graduation rate at Youthbuild is between 75 and 80 percent, and executive director Simran Sidhu says her staff is working hard to keep everybody enrolled
Sidhu: You know, you miss three days of school you get called by a case manager by your mentor, by your teacher, by me, so they come back with this "oh my god, five people called me, I better show up."
The school year at YouthBuild is still young, and even with so many odds stacked against his students, Ameen Akbar is full of energy and optimism.
Akbar: I get an opportunity and we get an opportunity here to touch and feel change every day. It's not a word, we can touch it.
wowwwww….im at school now in honors english 2. My essay topic happens to be "high school dropouts"….I am one against dropping out of high school however, I am against those who don't consider helping the youth who fail to meet the graduation standards. The move you guys are making is very important to me and i give props to you all, students and adminerstrators…keep it up.!!
Excellent topics, I am searching online high school to earn degree online. After long searching I got this online that, Crossway High School is an online distance learning school. Earn your diploma today!
i am in the class of 2011 i love this school.i feel proud to know that my school is being looked at as a good thing.you work hard but we have support from other student and teachers .i never wanted to get up and go to school.now i look froward to the day.
Congratulations to the staff for all time, effort and care they put into the school. Afterall, its the staff that make it a viable school, not the building.
Maiken, Great story about a great program! I have followed YB's progress in Philadelphia for years. This is the real deal. Congratulations to all students and staff so clearly committed to themselves and our city. May we please have more opportunities like this for our youth???
Let me say also I have had occasion to work in other high schools and I do want to give credit where credit is due. I have met very committed, caring teachers and great kids. However, overall, we are not giving them enough support. This is clearly a critical issue for Philadelphia and a tremendous opportunity. Philly could be an incredible laboratory for creating a 21st century city. Just like Jasmine above, we must be due a transformation as well.
I live in Columbus Ohio where the charter school situation is very controversial and we don't hear stories like this, but rather the stories of failure due to deceit and greed. Communication breakdowns permeate the situation and the children are no longer the focus. Youth Build is a shining example of putting humanity in perspective. We all have the same needs and it begins with learning behaviors some of us were not fortunate enough to have learned. To un-learn behaviors engrained by sad circumstances, and grow in knowledge and belief that goals will be reached if they are approached slowly through giving and taking. I chose to support Youth Build because I believe in the methodology. I believe strongly in approaching the real problem while incorporating healthy solutions. If the home life is in tatters, there is direction to services, or creating their own answers one at a time…having a skill set upon graduation is more than a lot of college grads walk away with! This is an amazing model that our country needs so many more of. Please keep getting these statistics out so our government, at all levels, begin to see the root causes and not the symptoms. We have too many bandaids and not enough practical approaches which we see in YouthBuild. You are teaching that we are in this together and never alone. We all have the same needs and that is through each other. A wonderful lesson learned for these fortunate youth is…through hard struggles come greater strength and understanding. All of these simple ideals brings success, and God is blessing you all.
Mary Mayo, I couldn't say it better. A great article on a wonderful school.
I am a graduate from this school. YouthBuild changed my life! When I started this school I was a dropout,while I was attending this school I transformed from a dropout to a high school diploma having popout!!!!This is the best school that I ever attended.