Eighth-graders statewide meet with parents and counselors to map out a curriculum for high school based on their interests and what they want to do in life. They then take related electives with the aim of keeping them engaged.
The problem of dropouts is daunting and it's tough to raise money to deal with it, said Jane Riley, the Charleston executive director of Communities in Schools, a nonprofit, nationwide dropout prevention network.
The Charleston program has a budget of $1.2 million to provide help to schools such as Clark Academy. It gets $300,000 from the United Way and must raise the rest.
"It's not a touchy-feely subject," Riley said. "Some people have the attitude that it's because of the parent or because the children made these choices. They don't understand these children who are failing or have failed are our future work force."
Back at Clark, Reed says the school has changed his life.
"I was a last-minute kind of person. I would have fun right now and figure it out (the future) later," he said. "Here, the teachers stay on you. My friends are cool and everyone is on the same level and they're all trying to graduate."
On the Net:
Septima Clark Corporate Academy: http://clark.ccsdschools.com/home.aspx
Communities in Schools: http://www.cisnet.org/
South Carolina Department of Education: http://ed.sc.gov/
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