County schools promoting graduation all this week
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 11, 2008 1:34 PM
Fighting the dropout rate, area high schools are hosting activities this week to promote graduation and encourage students to stay in school, officials said.
Statewide, Gov. Mike Easley has proclaimed Sept. 7-13 "Graduation Awareness Week." Meanwhile, Dr. June Atkinson, state superintendent, said the campaign kicks off an effort toward ensuring every student in the state graduates from high school.
Each of the county's public high schools has had activities and events this week to involve students and teachers in the effort.
Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of schools, said the district has already implemented several school reform initiatives, designed to aid students in the transition to high school and graduate in four years or less. In recent years, some of these programs have included Learn and Earn Online, the N.C. Virtual High School, Jump Start, Freshman Academies, Career Academies, Wayne Early/Middle College High School and Wayne School of Engineering.
At Charles B. Aycock High School, daily homeroom activities were planned, while at Eastern Wayne High, advisors planned to distribute "Graduation Project" portfolios required of all juniors. Assemblies and orientations alsoe were held on the importance of graduating from high school.
In addition, graduation pledge cards were available at the high schools, as well as at some schools, banners, which will remain on display until graduation, for students to sign.
Several of the high schools also held "College T-shirt day," with students encouraged to wear a shirt from the school they would like to one day attend.
Wayne Early/Middle College High School also planned to offer work-based learning classes, discussing career opportunities for high school dropouts and for those who graduate.
At Wayne School of Engineering, the video "2 Million Minutes" was shown, following the high school life of two American students, two Chinese students and two students from India, and outlined the importance of education in a global economy.