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“Dropout Factories” To Networks of Excellence
September 8, 2011 at 3:29 pm
“Dropout factories.” The phrase sounds like a harsh criticism of the American public education system, but according to Michael Brennan, president of the United Way of Southeastern Michigan, that’s an apt description of more than 1,400 high schools across the country. Their graduation rates are 60 percent or less, and they aren’t providing what they could be providing to students.
Brennan said, “This is all across the U.S., both in urban and in rural communities.” To counteract this huge issue, the United Way implemented a program in Detroit to try to stem the dropout problem. Frank Cody High School in Detroit was a pilot site for the program, and students saw a big change in their building, their teachers and their attitudes. Senior Nake Mitchell said “In the hallways, we have paintings. We have famous sayings. We have people coming in to speak to us. Our bathrooms are much cleaner.” And graduate Damon Howell Jr. said that the changes “make me feel like I’m important, like I’m valued.”
Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, heard about the United Way program and went to Cody High School to see for himself what had changed. He was very impressed that GM and the GM Foundation are contributing $27.1 million to help expand the program to more schools. Reuss said that this isn’t just about philanthropy and supporting the community. He said that the students of today are the employees of the future, and they need to be prepared to take their places in the workforce.
United Way’s Brennan said this action by GM in Detroit has already sent ripples across the country, by touching other cities and other companies. Brennan said, “After the gift was announced, I heard from individuals all across America that that gift was resonating in other corporations and foundations, and with community leaders. I was told by someone who just came out of a meeting with the governor of Colorado that the governor said, ‘We need to find out more about that GM gift. How they did that, so we can see what we might be able to do in our own communities.’ So it was a gift that traveled far beyond just the region of southeastern Michigan.”
A couple of Cody High School students created a piece of art to present to Reuss and GM as a thank-you gift for the company’s investment. Reuss invited the students to a large internal GM team meeting for the presentation. It gave the students a feel for the teamwork inside a large, successful corporation. In return, it gave the employees a sense of the importance of this initiative. Reuss said, “We’re going to invest in something that truly makes a difference. It’s a big investment, but it’s going to pay great dividends.”
Watch the video below to see more from that meeting and to hear from the students and their principal.
