This week more than 5,000 students participated in the Taco Bell Graduate to Go High School Tour, which made stops at Arsenal Technical High School, John Marshall Community High School, George Washington Community High School and Northwest High School to help kick off the school year. During the event, representatives from The Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis and the Taco Bell Foundation announced their new citywide dropout prevention program.
In Indianapolis Public Schools, 48 percent of students graduated on time in 2009. However, in just two years, the graduation rate has improved to 64.6 percent with support from the school district and community partners like Boys & Girls Clubs. The Graduate to Go High School Tour aims to encourage teens to stay in school and to increase participation in the new dropout prevention program, which is facilitated at local Boys & Girls Clubs.
In addition, students were able to hear encouraging and inspirational remarks from motivational youth speaker Gabe Salazar. They also learned more about the prevention program and had the opportunity to win $2,000 in scholarships and other prizes.
