Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world – Mandela
On those days when my son has phonics, he is bursting with excitement about the new letter he has learned or his next pack of sight words we’re to review. During our nightly reading time, he sounds out simple words…the way he’s been taught by his phonics teacher. He has a passion for learning that I hope continues throughout the next 13 years.
As I think about our nation’s dropout crisis, I ask myself…what compels a child with a love for learning to admit defeat…to give up…to drop out?
Fact: 1.2 million students drop out of school each year.
To put that statistic into perspective, that would mean that every 26 seconds, another child fails to graduate. It’s taken me about one minute to write that sentence, and if the stats are correct, two students just dropped out of school. Not only is this unfathomable, it’s inexcusable. We as a nation need to do better…to give our children the resources they need to succeed.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted what some called the “winning” shot of Matthew McConaughey, but many did not understand why I was at Venice High School with new media and traditional journalists, interviewing the actor made famous by his role in Dazed and Confused.
Photo Credit: P&G GIVE Education, Susan Goldman
As we sat in the gym of Rydell High, McConaughey kicked off the second annual GIVE Education campaign with an exercise drill. I loved how McConaughey joined the students as they jumped rope and did push-ups. He even broke a sweat. His willingness to get down on their level was symbolic of the mentoring philosophy he employs through just keep livin, a foundation McConaughey started with his wife “to [encourage] children to make positive and healthy changes in themselves and in the world around them.”
Photo Credit: P&G GIVE Education, Susan Goldman
Mentoring can play a vital role in determining a child’s lifetime success. According to a recent survey, children who are mentored are more likely to get a college degree and earn a higher annual salary than those who are not, and generally agree that having a mentor played a major role in shaping who they are. Organizations like McConaughey’s just keep livin foundation, help students stay in school through afterschool fitness and wellness programs. In partnership with Communities In Schools, the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, they are working to provide resources to children who are at high risk for dropping out of school.
How can you help?
P&G’s Buy, Give and Get program offers an easy way to help give back to CIS. When you purchase $25 worth of select P&G products, you’ll receive a $5 rebate by mail and P&G will donate $5 to CIS on your behalf.
Additionally, if you “like “the P&G myGIVE Facebook page, a $1 donation will be made to CIS.
For more information on the campaign, visit Facebook.com/pgmygive and Communities In Schools.
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to a press conference by SheSpeaks and P&G and travel was provided.
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Vocational training should be offered earlier and more frequently- in almost every other Western Country except the US, by age 16, the teenager has completed a series of aptitude tests and they’re offered either Vocational training, an Internship or college, depending on their abilities. In Germany, Vocational training starts at age 14.: In this harsh economy ( which won’t recover anytime soon no matter who’s elected in November), the more hands on skills your kids have, the better.