Inside every student is a graduate.

A Boost can be the difference between dropping out and making it to graduation.

These pages are full of tips, resources and ideas to help you make a difference in the lives of potential graduates at-risk of dropping out by giving them the support they need to stay in school and on-track.

The Numbers Dont Lie

More than 30% of high school students arent making it to graduation. Thats roughly 7,000 dropouts every single school day.

The Facts
  High school dropouts are twice as likely as high

school graduates to fall into poverty.

 High school graduates, on the average, earn $9,245 more per year

than high school dropouts High school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested in their lifetime.
 In todays workplace, only 40% of adults who dropped out of

high school are employed, whereas 60% of adult high school graduates and 80% of adult college graduates are employed.
 One high school student drops out every 9 seconds.  1 in 3 students isnt graduating.  Each year, 1.3 million students dont graduate.  60% of high school students who have a child dont graduate.

The Opportunity
Heres the good news: You can make a real difference.
Its simple. The more you get involved in a students education, the more likely he or she is to succeed. Test scores, attitude and behavior, even the likelihood of graduation and a college educationtheyre all greatly affected by your involvement. No matter your time, skills or interests, theres something you can do to help. The most important thing is to show students that someone cares and is invested in their education.

My mom is definitely the person that motivates me the most to stay in school. My brother plays a big role in my life He wouldnt be happy at all if I were to drop out of school. My teachers believe in me, and they push me in school. I dropped out of school. No one cared and so I dont care.

The Challenges:

No One Dreams of Dropping Out

Students want to graduate They want to celebrate an achievement. They want a better job and a better life. But for too many students (more than 30% nationwide), there are serious barriers that get in the way. Learn about the challenges they face in their personal lives, at school, and in their communities. Chances are, there are students in your community working to overcome the same obstacles.

Personal Challenges
Whether its a lack of peer and family support, a struggle with academics, or working long hours to support their parents, siblings and other family members, teens across the country face a variety of personal challenges as they make their way through high school.

Community Challenges
High crime rates, gangs and unemployment lead to an overall sense of disengagement (and increased dropout rates) among students of all levels.

School Challenges
Studying, homework and tests can make school hard enough. But many students also face the added challenges of low expectations, negative learning environments and unsafe schools.

What warning signs should I look for?

Dropping out is a process. It is not just a decision that happens overnight. Students who are at risk of dropping out show signs of pulling back from school long before the actually drop out-they miss classes, skip school, do not complete homework, get low grades, and engage in disruptive behavior. There are specific factors to watch for in students who are likely to drop out of school. If you see one or more of these signs, get involved! You can give these students the Boost they need to stay in school.
 They dont feel challenged in school.  They dont feel high educational expectations

from either their family or school.

 They believe their parents are too controlling and they want to rebel.  They have trouble with schoolwork or feel like

they are not as smart as other students.

 They have drug, alcohol or mental health problems.  They regularly miss school or are frequently tardy.  They struggle with problems at home,

including physical or verbal abuse.

 They feel like they dont fit in or have friends at school.  Their peers or siblings have dropped out of school.  They have poor learning conditions at schoolsuch as

overcrowding, high levels of violence and excessive absenteeism.

Take Action

Tips & Advice

 Leave a positive note of encouragement for a teen in

your lifetext, written note, or even voicemail.

 Call a student and get him or her up for school.  Send a text reminder about homework.  Take time to listen. Volunteer in your community.  Help a student set a routine and stick to it.  Build a relationship with the teachers and schools in your community.  Provide a distraction-free study space.  Reward effort even if its not successful. Become a mentor.  Coach a local sports team.  Set up a work-study program.  Raise awareness about graduation rates in your community.  Get other people involved.

Take Action

Get Involved
How can we keep students in school? Research suggests that one of the most important things is to keep them engaged in a safe, supportive environment. What can you do to help engage students in their communities and create a safe and supportive environment? Offer a few words of encouragement. Become a mentor. Volunteer with a local youth service organization. Coach a team. Whatever you do, youll have a profound impact on a students ability and desire to stay in school and graduate.

+ Mentoring.org

Enter your zip code to find opportunities in your community to work directly with students. Mentoring.org works closely with more than 5,000 mentoring programs and volunteer centers throughout the country. http://www.mentoring.org/ Find out how you can support your local Big Brothers Big Sisters. http://www.bbbs.org Find a club in your community where you can help students learn in a safe environment. http://bgca.org Help students achieve their potential through education, stability and healthy living. http://liveunited.org Find your local YMCA and see how you can volunteer through sports programs. http://www.ymca.net

+ Big Brothers Big Sisters

+ Boys & Girls Clubs of America

+ United Way

+ YMCA

Take Action

Support Classroom Projects

+ Donors Choose
 ind out how you can help teacher reach funding goals F for new materials and classroom projects. http://www.donorschoose.org Learn how you can help give new books to children in need. http://www.firstbook.org

+ First Book

Take Action

School Information
Learning about the schools in your area can help you find information and ways to connect with your school and community organizations.

+ Americas Promise/Grad Nation

Find resources (including downloadable toolkits) to help find ways to take actiona great resource for community groups, schools, students, businesses, parents and policymakers. http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Grad-Nation/Take-Action.aspx Find complete information on school performance with 200,000 public and private school listings, plus more than 800,000 parent ratings and reviews. http://www.greatschools.org Get involved in the PTA and find resources to help students succeed in school. http://www.pta.org  Learn more about your local state school board association with this interactive map. http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/StateAssociations.aspx  isit your states school report card to find information about your V high schools graduation, dropout, literacy and school safety rates. You can also compare your school to others in the same area. http://www.schoolmatters.com/schools.aspx/q/page=fnd

+ Great Schools

+ National Parent Teacher Association

+ National School Boards Association

+ School Matters

Find Help

Immediate Help
If you (or a student you know) needs help or support in the areas of health and wellness, academics or safety, please use the resources below.

+ Boys & Girls Town National Hotline for Immediate Help

 all 1-800-448-3000 if you or someone you know is in C need of immediate help. The Boys & Girls Town National Hotline is a 24-hour crisis, resource and referral line. http://www.boystown.org/national-hotline

+ National Safe Place:

 ext the word SAFE and your current location to the number 69866 T if you or someone you know is in need of a safe place to go. http://www.nationalsafeplace.org  all 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to find help if you or someone C you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Default.aspx Call 1-866-331-9474 to find help if you or a teen you know is in an abusive relationship. http://www.loveisrespect.org

+ National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

+ National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Find Help

Academics
College Preparation and Financial Aid.

+ Army ROTC

f youre interested in enrolling in the Army ROTC, this site I will help you find schools that carry Army ROTC programs, apply to those schools, and learn about scholarships. http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/high-school students/four-year-scholarship.html Find the answers to your college prep questions: Why go, what to do, how to pay. http://www.college.gov/wps/portal Find specific colleges that offer the program or degree youre interested in. http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ Learn how you can apply for financial aid. http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/fafsa.jsp>\ Learn the steps you need to take to get into college and succeed once youre there. www.knowhow2go.org  ind free materials that help students or recent graduates F improve their scores on standardized tests. https://www.march2success.com/index.cfm

+ College.gov

+ College Navigator

+ Financial Aid

+ Know How 2 Go

+ March 2 Success

Find Help - Academics (Continued) GED

+ American Council on Education

Official site of the GED Testing Serviceincludes registration information and practice tests. http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=GED_TS&CFID=61788694&CFTOKE N=56868456&jsessionid=16306b54c50ai$DEq$BB  earch a list of more than 8,000 centers throughout S the U.S. to find a GED center in your area. http://www.yourged.org/find-a-center

+ Your GED

Homework Help and Tutoring

+ Dr. Math

Find answers to all your math questions from elementary to high school levels. http://mathforum.org/dr.math Find free teaching and learning resourcesorganized by subject. http://www.free.ed.gov If youre a parent, find resources to help your child with homework. http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/homework/index.html Search a comprehensive online encyclopediaby subject and topic. http://www.infoplease.com/#axzz0xSfKoy80 Browse a digital library of items that document American history. http://www.loc.gov/index.html Search for a tutor in your area or connect with an online tutor. http://www.tutormatch.com  ind online tutors that are available 24/7 and can help with any F subjector check with your local library or school to find a tutor. http://www.tutor.com

+ Federal Resources for Education Excellence + Helping Your Child with Homework + InfoPlease

+ Library of Congress + TutorMatch.com + Tutor.com

Find Help

Alcohol & Drugs

+ Above the Influence
Get information and advice about issues relating to teen drug use and peer pressure. http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/default.aspx?path=nav f your life is being affected by someones drinkingthis Al-Anon I offers strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. Meetings are anonymous and confidential. http://www.al-anon.alateen.org  earn how you can build communication skills and learn from L other teens about their relationship with drugs and alcohol. http://www.checkyourself.com  ind answers, guidance, tips and stories on drug F prevention, drug abuse, treatment and recovery. http://www.drugfree.org If you are a teenage girl, find information about fitness, nutrition, drugs, alcohol and smoking. http://www.girlshealth.gov/substance Find drug information and research findings for teens. http://teens.drugabuse.gov

+ Al-Anon/Alateen

+ Check Yourself

+ Drug Free

+ GirlsHealth.gov

+ National Institute on Drug Abuse

Find Help

Health & Wellness/Safety

+ Center for Disease Control + Check Yourself
Find information about sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases. http://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm A site designed to help you think about your relationship with drugs and alcohol. http://www.checkyourself.com Find high-quality and low-cost child care in your are through Child Care Awares online zip-code search or hotline. http://www.childcareaware.org Browse resources for finding, selecting and paying for child care services in your area. http://www.childcare.gov If you are a teen girl, find inormation about body, feelings, relationships, bullying and safety. http://www.girlshealth.gov/body  earn more about your state Medicaid program and other options L available to you for care of disabled adult family members. http://www.healthcare.gov/foryou/disabilities/longtermcare/home If you are a teen taking care of older family members, check here for detailed information about every Medicarecertified home health agency in the country. http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare

+ ChildCare Aware

+ ChildCare.gov

+ Girls Health.gov

+ HealthCare.gov

+ Medicare/Medicaid

Find Help - Health & Wellness/Safety (Continued)

+ National Alliance on Mental Illness

 ind information about mental illnesses, medications, support, F programs, and how you can find your local NAMI. http://nami.org Find information on the science behind drug abuseso that you can make healthy, informed decisions. http://teens.drugabuse.gov Find out more about dealing with mental health problems from other teens who have been through tough times and made it. http://us.reachout.com Learn how you can support friends who are experiencing mental health problems. http://www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov Learn about a national initiative to prevent youth violenceincludes training, connections, tools and information. http://www.safeyouth.gov/Pages/Home.aspx

+ National Institute on Drug Abuse

+ Reach Out

+ What a Difference

+ Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE)