...Southwire staffed a plant with troubled teens, who proved that hard work can overcome hard knocks. In the process they pioneered a model for education reform nationwide. ...no matter their circumstances, these kids now have hope, thanks to a unique experiment at the intersection of industry and education that’s fast becoming a model for cities and towns nationwide. Sierra Laster is 16 and has been working in the factory for two months. “It’s the best,” she says, while operating a machine that unwinds electrical wire from a big spool and cuts off lengths for her to seal into plastic packages. Her goal? “To finish high school and get my diploma and hopefully go to college and get my nursing career started.” Jesse Harris, 17, works in quality control. “I love working here,” he says. “I used to work in fast food. The pay is better here, and the atmosphere is much better, too.” His $8-an-hour part-time dream job is, of course, just part of the program, called 12 for Life. The idea: Finishing 12 grades is the first step toward a better life–and the kids at Southwire, recruited from among the lowest performers in the county’s school system, could certainly use one. “If you have good attendance and good grades, you are not going to get into this program,” says Stu Thorn, CEO of Southwire, one of the world’s biggest wire manufacturers. Founded in 2007 by the company, the program lets the kids work in the factory for part of the day and spend the rest in classrooms, earning high school diplomas. Miss your classes and you’re not allowed to work. “It’s succeeding at a rate never expected,” says Scott Cowart, the superintendent overseeing the county’s six high schools. Since the launch of 12 for Life the district’s dropout rate has plunged from 35% to 22%. A total of 851 kids have graduated from the program so far, 40% of whom have gone on to college. “It’s a remarkable win-win-win. Students are graduating, the school system loves it, the company makes money. It’s mutually beneficial,” says Harvard Business School’s Jan Rivkin, who has closely studied the company’s efforts.... http://www.forbes.com/sites/christo...-giving-kids-a-job-helps-keep-them-in-school/
No. We need to get up to 100% college attendance. And make sure they all leave with degrees. Govt. should pay for it too.
That's a huge challenge with current regulations, but I agree with your point. Also I think starting into the 6th grade the student and parents should be able to enter into trade school if they want to pursue that road.
we could effectively do that if we stopped paying for people to get useless degrees and continued giving money to go to trade schools. require a minimum gpa out of HS to get financial aid. if someone really badly wants to go to college. they can go to a JC and prove they can raise their gpa to the level to get aid.
