During fall/winter 2014, Binghamton High School Grade 10 students explored the dropout crisis in the United States. They learned about graduation rates in their own school. These audio reports are the students' reflections on topics such as who or what motives them to come to school, how graduation is perceived in their school, or why they feel a high school diploma will help their future.
YOUTH VOICE: AMERICAN GRADUATE EDITION
Listen to the students below! "Coming to school every day is the first step in going to college. Waking up can be a problem. I need to open my eyes and what what I might miss!"-Johnell Comer, Grade 10 "I want to graduate high school so I can be the third person in my family to graduate! I want to follow in my brother and sister's footsteps."-Sincere Williamson, Grade 10 "I think it's really sad. I think the percentage of students who graduate would increase if more students were on time, stayed focused, and came to school."-Lari Duiguid, Grade 10 "In 2013, 68% of all students graduated from Binghamton High School. In a group of 10 friends, that would be like only 7 of you getting to cross the stage on Graduation Day!"-Jean Germain, Grade 10 "My mom did not finish high school because she had my sister. It was hard for her. She tells me, "Son, you can't get anywhere in life without an education!"-Darious Bailey, Grade 10 "I wish all kids took school seriously, but they don't. They think it's a joke that they won't graduate. But, if your attendance and grades are not good, then you can forget about graduating on-time."-Jordyn McCants, Grade 10 "To graduate, people have to wake up for life, be on-time, and come to school to learn!"-Joshua Hill, Grade 10 "I am going to college so I can be a police officer in a K-9 unit. Though it will take a lot of hard work, I can do it!" -Jason Walsh, Grade 10 "I may not go to college, but I am going to make it through high school! I am going to finish high school to make my mom and dad proud. I may not be the perfect students, but I can be successful."-JJ Dennis, Grade 10 "There are a lot of kids that drop out of school. At Binghamton High School, 32% of students did not graduate in 2014. I don't want to be one of them!"-Austin Cole, Grade 10 "I want to be better than the people in my family that did not graduate! My family always told me, “Stay in school and your life will be easier.”-Read more from Tariq McPhaul, Grade 10 "Half of my family didn’t graduate. Some people say they want to graduate, but don’t care enough about their life to take the necessary steps."-Read more from Janel Gonzalez, Grade 10
WSKG IS PROUD TO SHARE THESE YOUTH VOICES WITH OUR COMMUNITY!
We wish them each continued success on their path to graduation!