August 2022

Inflation isn’t just changing our behavior at the gas pump and grocery store. More teens are working now than before the 2008 financial crisis. Some of them are taking advantage of all the higher-paying entry-level jobs, but others are just trying to help their families make ends meet.

As the school year begins, some educators are worried more teens will opt out of school to work, adding to already high absenteeism rates. “We’re definitely seeing more of our students needing to work,” said Jason Morton, vice president of national school operations. More than 80 percent of our students come from low-income households.

Despite a rough childhood with bouts of homelessness, bullying, and struggles at his church and previous high schools, Joel B. found a second home here. “When I came to this school, everyone respected me,” he explained. “One teacher was always there for me, like a second mom. Others cared enough to find out about me, rather than assume. Another challenged me and never let me be just average.”

He loves writing poetry and gets his poems on posters and in newsletters. He even won the school’s poetry award. “But I was most proud of our superintendent calling me the most eloquent student she’s ever met,” he said. “That meant a lot.”

Yvonne R. was proud and excited to walk across the stage to accept her high school diploma, but it was with some sadness, wishing her mother could be there with her. Yvonne lost her mom when she was just 14, and then bounced around living with various relatives while helping take care of her younger sisters.

“When I first started school, I was put into bilingual classes, but I was confused between Spanish and English, so they held me back twice,” she explained. “By the time I got to 8^th grade, I was 15-16 years old. After losing my mom, I fell further behind and even dropped out for a while so I could help my sisters.” She was intimidated by the size of her previous high school and didn’t get the extra attention she needed.

A counselor told her about us and she loved the warm welcome and respect from the entire staff from day one.