Photo credit: PhotographyByAlexander.com
On May 9th, Lyle Oates, a student at YouthBuild Just-A-Start in Cambridge, Mass., participated in a Youth Roundtable at the Summit to discuss the causes of and promising solutions to the country's dropout crises.
 Lyle emphasized the importance of providing disconnected youth with a caring, supportive community of peers in which all are working towards the common good.
In addition, Lyle had the honor of introducing the Summit's keynote speaker, First Lady Laura Bush.
The day-long Summit was held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. and was spearheaded by Civic Enterprises, the National Governors Association, MTV, TIME, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
More than one million American high school students drop out every year - approximately 6,000 youth every school day. Dropouts are more likely than high school graduates to be unemployed, in poor health, living in poverty, in prison, on public assistance, and single parents with children who also drop out of high school.
As an alternative school, YouthBuild is working on the cutting-edge of educational reform, demonstrating that small, personalized classes that offer a balance of academic rigor, relevant learning opportunities, and positive relationships can succeed in re-engaging students who have dropped out of traditional schools. Classes are small, allowing one-on-one attention to students, and the curriculum integrates academics with life skills. YouthBuild students prepare for GEDs, post-secondary training, and/or college. In addition, more than 40 YouthBuild programs are authorized to grant high school diplomas, either as charter schools, alternative schools, or as part of a charter management organization. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has included YouthBuild in its Alternative High Schools Initiative, funding YouthBuild USA to enhance the quality of the diploma-granting YouthBuild schools.
In the news:
Watch a clip from MTV of Lyle Oates speaking at the Summit »
Read articles from MTV and Education Week » (PDF)
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