BoostUp is a high school dropout prevention campaign designed to support potential graduates at-risk of dropping out. The campaign hopes to encourage teens, parents and adult influencers to give struggling students in their own communities the boost (encouragement) they need to stay in school and graduate.
At BoostUp.org, teens and adults can learn about the dropout problem, hear stories from real teens about the challenges they face and search for local opportunities to help keep students in school and on the path to graduation.
A “boost” is support. Boosts can come in many forms – mentoring, help with homework, listening to what’s going on in a student’s life, etc. And a boost doesn’t always have to be big or involve a long commitment but we know that the more engaged and supported a student feels the less likely he/she will be to dropout. Visit the Take Action section of BoostUp.org to find ways you can help.
No, you can go to the Take Action section on BoostUp.org to find mentoring and other opportunities to get involved with students through youth servicing organizations. There are many ways to help students and not all of them require a big time commitment – the most important thing is that you take action and support teens in your community.
Students can visit KnowHow2Go.org to learn the steps they need to take to be prepared to get to and succeed in college.
Become a fan of BoostUp at facebook.com/BoostUp
Follow BoostUp on Twitter at twitter.com/BoostUpNow
Contact the school in your area and speak with a guidance counselor to discuss options. Many schools have counselors devoted specifically to helping credit deficient students. You can visit schoolmatters.com to find contact information for schools across the country.
Talk to the student and discuss the reason why he/she is thinking about dropping out and see if there are ways to help address those concerns. Then talk about the reasons why it is important for teens to stay in school and graduate. If possible, meet with the student’s guidance counselor and/or friends to discuss ways to help support the student so he/she does not drop out.
The primary target of the campaign is adults who can support students at-risk of dropping out.The campaign also includes outreach and resources for parents and teens.
Visit National Dropout Rates to learn about graduation rates by state.
The decision to drop out doesn’t happen overnight – it often comes after years of frustration and struggle. Many students don’t have role models and others who are encouraging them in school or at home. They are facing challenges outside the classroom, including crime, teen pregnancy and financial difficulties. They need support and motivation to stay in school and graduate. Visit the Take Action section of BoostUp.org to find ways you can help.
You can visit yourged.org to find GED resources and steps to get a GED.
High school dropout is a national security issue and the U.S. Army has a longstanding commitment to support both secondary and post-secondary education.
The Ad Council and the US Army partnered in 2000 to address the high school dropout crisis.
The students featured on BoostUp.org are real students with real life challenges. They were identified to help illustrate the range of challenges that students all across the country face each and every day. We hope you find inspiration in their stories. We love to hear how this campaign is impacting individuals, so we welcome stories of students who you are helping make it to graduation, however at this time we are not accepting students to be featured on the site.
Visit the Take Action section of BoostUp.org and click on donations to learn how you can support classroom projects in underfunded areas around the country.
No, visit the Take Action section of BoostUp.org to find various mentoring and volunteer opportunities in your community with commitments that range from big to small. There are many ways for you to support students and not all of them require a large time commitment: Send a note/text/email to a student letting him or her know you care, call a student and make sure he/she is getting up and off to school on time, become a mentor or volunteer with a youth service provider like the Boys and Girls Club of America or Big Brothers Big Sisters. The most important thing is that you take action and support teens in your community.
Visit the Get Help section of BoostUp.org.
BoostUp does not directly coordinate volunteers or donations. However, there are numerous local organizations and programs throughout the country through which you can make an impact. We’ve provided links to some organizations and tools to get you started.
And please remember that you can provide help at all levels of involvement – from simply sharing information from this site, to volunteering for an evening of homework help, to becoming a mentor – boosts come in all sizes.
Visit the Take Action section of BoostUp.org.
Approximately 7,000 high school students drop out every school day. That translates to nearly 1 in 4 teens in our country who gives up on themselves and their dreams. And once teens drop out, they don’t have the tools to compete in today’s society and they reduce their chances for success in the future. Visit the Facts section of BoostUp.org to learn more.
