At first glance it looks like these students are working on bicycles. And they are. But
it’s also much more. Every twist…turn…and wipe… brings them closer to graduating on
time.
the booster program is a dropout prevention program for over age students that was started
a year and a half ago at Mt. Vernon Middle school. All students are at least one to two
grade levels over age. They’ve been left back at least one grade to two grades in elementary
school. Research shows that based on age and grade placement if … the closer you can
get a student to the appropriate grade, the better chance they’re not gonna drop out.
These 7th and 8th graders at Mt. Vernon Middle School, an alternative school in Raleigh,
undergo 18 weeks of an intense academic program that focuses primarily on English and math.
The goal is to bring these students up to grade level with other students their age
and help them transition to a traditional high school.
by getting them on the right grade that’s equivalent to their age, it’s just a confidence
thing. It really helps them.
And this program teaches them the importance of helping others at the same time. The bicycle
portion of the program is offered through Wake County Human Services and 4-H. Twice
a week these students work to refurbish old bicycles to give to families in need.
we just showed them some of the basics like, taking an old tire off and putting a new tire
and tube on. The important thing is young people really learn a lot by doing.
It’s been really good cuz I get to help people that are less fortunate than I am and
as like a youth its really good to help out your community.
one of the things I’m asked a lot is, “what’s rebuilding bicycles have to do with academics?”
And the big thing is the problem solving skills. I think one of the most important skills young
people need to have and have when they get out of school is problem solving skills b/c
they’re always going to encounter difficult challenges and problems. and so getting over
those difficult problems give them skills in the classroom and then will give them skills
once they leave high school Since it began year and a half ago, the booster
program has had about an 80-percent success rate in students performing at their appropriate
grade level. Both Rochelle Hall and Giovanni Gonzalez are now in high school performing
on a high school level. right now 9th grade taking algebra I, English
and world history which right now… pretty much have As and Bs—very proud.
On a Saturday night in Franklin County we find dozens of kids—from elementary school
students to high school seniors—together—laughing, learning and competing. It’s a Black History
and Bible Trivia Quiz Bowl. Veteran team Concord Baptist Church versus the newcomers, South
Main Street Baptist Church also known as the Southside 4-H Club.
today’s competition, it’s the first competition as a trivia bowl for southside 4-H. It’s
a good experience for them to learn things as they have in the competition. But the good
point is we’re all here to have fun. Saturday I could either be doing something
that maybe fun and may waste my time or I could be doing something that would be. it
would still be fun but it would also benefit me. So I decided to do that way.
And that’s precisely the attitude 4-H leaders are working to instill in all youth. Southside
club organizers try to keep their group busy with community service projects, field trips,
college tours and afterschool tutoring sessions. The goal is to allow students to learn and
have fun at the same time… and to provide them with the support they need to be successful
both in and out of the classroom. Located in the heart of downtown Louisburg,
organizers say the Southside 4-H club is in a perfect location to reach at-risk youth.
They’re on the south side and that’s to be quite honest where a lot of the students
who are dropouts, live. Ok. So by it being in their community I think that makes it a
lot more accessible to them to attend those club meetings.
Because of where our church is located, we work heavily in the community of engaging
our young people. No you do not have to be a member of south main street or a member
of southside 4-H club. But we do open our doors for the young people to come in.
And again, not only do they tutor them in terms of the academic side of it, but they
also talk to them about their social skills, their personal skills. You know all those
things that are very important for them to become successful.
Linda Harrill is the President of the North Carolina chapter of Communities in Schools,
an organization focused entirely on dropout prevention.
as our founder Bill Miliken often says, “You can’t turn kids on to learning until you’ve
turned them on to living.” And for a lot of our kids, that’s what’s missing. There
aren’t any of relationships. They don’t see the relevance of why they’re in school
and I think that’s one of the things that 4-H does a really good job is that it helps
it make, learning come alive for these kids. 4-H welcomes children and their parents alike.
Tamuel Jackson is a volunteer with the Southside 4-H club and got involved because she loves
children and wanted a positive activity for her own son, Jaron. Jaron, now 17, has been
in 4-H since he was 8. Today, Jaron is a solid student and athlete who plans to go to college
and become a lawyer. Lofty goals he credits to his mom and the 4-H club that’s offered
so much support. I know a lot of friends of mine who just don’t
care about school or do anything like that. But, the thing about 4-H is, my agent and
also my mama, they always work hard, they’re always doing stuff for me. They’re always
trying to get me to go different places with 4-H and I realized when I was younger that,
if somebody is willing to do that much for you, it must be worth it. I kept in my mind
that I won’t do anything negative b/c I know how much hard work my mama put in.
Jaron and six other Southside 4-H’ers will graduate from high school this year. Since
it began seven years ago, this 4-H club has experienced a 100-percent success rate with
all its 13 eligible students graduating on time.
We can only do so much in 6 hours a day in school. And schools need to be what schools
were set up for and that’s to teach the academics to teach the basics, reading writing
and math. that’s why community agencies like 4-H and others are so critical is b/c
they help connect those kids… just the inspiration these kids need, somebody to talk about things
that they don’t get to talk about in school…. Are really, really critical to these kids
staying in school. And the research clearly points that out that the children that have
that are much more likely to stay in school and be successful.