Insight
Houston ISD volunteers urge teens to return to schoolWednesday, September 10, 2008 By Quanah Alexander, Wheatley High School
More than 1,400 volunteers took to the streets Saturday in an effort to get dropouts to return to the classroom. Many were surprised to find Abelardo Saavedra, Superintendent of Schools for the Houston Independent School District at their front door. Saavedra, along with other Houston officials – Congresswoman Shelia Jackson-Lee and Mayor Bill White, to name a few – went door-to-door and were able to get 98 committed dropouts to return to school. The Reach Out to Dropouts Walk, part of “Expectation: Graduation,” is HISD’s initiative to help more students graduate from high school. In its fifth year, HISD had 23 campuses participating in the walk. All totaled, more than 1400 people visited 1913 homes. When Saavedra knocked on the door at one home, the group was told that the 20-year old young woman they were looking for was asleep, as she had worked until 7 a.m. Saavedra and other officials waited while the young woman got ready to come out. When she emerged, the group learned the young woman works different shifts, making it impossible for her to attend school during regular hours. She needs only four courses to graduate. One principal offered to help the young woman get access to the internet so that she could take online classes through the district’s Virtual School Program. “She can be out in six months with the right kind of support,” Saavedra said. “We can get her there.” Councilmember Jarvis Johnson, who has volunteered since year one, said he believes HISD’s mission to get the students back in the classroom is great. “I think it is a great mission. You never want a child going without an education,” said Johnson, who represents District D. “What most impressed me was seeing the district not being selfish. It wasn’t just come back to our school. It was more of we just want you in a school.” Johnson said HISD’s initiative shows the district cares. “It’s no escaping the school district,” he said. “They really do care.” According to Johnson, many of the students they visited opted to get their GED’s and not return to school. “The most consistent response was that they had to go to work for financial reasons,” he said. Despite the many negative responses volunteers received, Saturday’s door-to-door walk was welcomed by Craig Taylor, a Wheatley High School student. “I was a little surprised when they showed up at my door,” the sophomore said. “I always thought the teachers didn’t care so I wasn’t going back. But I have to say that I was inspired. I went Monday and enrolled and I plan to be back this week. “I wasn’t expecting them to come to me,” he said. According to deputy press secretary Rebecca Suarez, volunteers first contacted the students by phone. This year, the phone bank had volunteers from several major businesses, including Litton Loan Co., Center Point Energy, Wal-Mart and Houston A+ Challenge. “During our phone bank at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, more than 700 students were contacted,” Suarez s |