Inner-city High School Students Demonstrating Excessive Drop-out Rate, will reduce this problem through Performing Arts Involvement. Essay

The writers’ school is located in an urban setting with a population of 131, 000.   The school is in a community public school setting where the documented levels of high drop-out rates, teen pregnancy and high unemployment in the area are high.   The school serves 2,500 students who come from various home settings such as single parent homes, foster care.   The dropout rate is approximately 40% below the minimum percentage of 70%from the district, who are at the high risk of academic failure, becoming pregnant, or seeking a life of violence, drug and alcohol abuse and other deviant behavior.   The test scores of the school are graded at an “F” rating.   Over 30% of our students drop-out of school before reaching twelfth grade.   Because of the high illiteracy rates and lack of support services, our youth have no choice but to congregate in areas such as local malls and nightclubs that illegally sell alcoholic beverages to minors and encourage a “safe haven” for drug trafficking.

What is “at risk” youth?   Who is considered to be to “at risk”?   The writer has come to understand that there is no real definition.   It has been noted by many as a reference to inner city kids that live in poor neighborhoods as at risk youth, but are they really more at risk than any other?   The writer believes that any child that grows up in this world is "At-Risk" in some way. Children are exposed to "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll" at a very early age. Teens know other kids that do drugs, drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes. Some parents are willing to do all they can to raise their kids right - and their kids may still make poor choices. At risk youth can be any sex, any race, and any age. Each "group" has a different area where they are more at risk, but they are all youth at risk. The writer conducted a survey posing the questions of involvement of the arts in schools affecting their educational process. The faculty stated the following – 2/3 said that the school lacks extracurricular...