Students as Individuals

• A student who feels they are hidden in the crowd may be at risk of dropping out of high school. In large classrooms and schools, some students may slip through the cracks unnoticed by faculty and staff. One strategy for preventing drop outs is to create an environment that offers individual attention for each student. Smaller class sizes is one way to achieve this. Free tutoring sessions or a mentor program may also offer the attention each student needs. Volunteers might be used as class assistants to ensure no student goes without needed help.
  
  

School Activities

• Getting students involved in school-related activities helps prevent dropping out. Sports are one option for students, but not for all. Include a wide range of clubs and activities in the school so every student has something from which to choose. Drama, art or chorus may suit some students while clubs dealing with social issues may be more appealing to others. Involve volunteers from the staff to allow for the creation and support of activities suggested by students. Encourage clubs and groups to accept all interested parties and ask all students to find an activity that they find interesting. Offer space for the clubs to meet and support their activities as long as they fall in approved school guidelines.
  
  

Community Involvement

• Students may devalue high school if they feel it is a separate entity from the rest of the world. This lack of value may lead to dropping out. Prevent this by making the high school an active part of the community. Create and sponsor community projects and activities for not only the students, but the residents as well. Park clean-up, fundraisers or community gardens are examples of this type of involvement. Encourage students to volunteer at community care facilities and create opportunities for students to voice their opinions in local government.
  
  

Start Early

• A key strategy to preventing students from dropping out of high school is to identify the at-risk students early. Students who struggle with daily school work early on are more likely to drop out later. Those who come from lower economic backgrounds are also at risk along with those who come from families who did not graduate high school. Identifying these students early can lead to giving them the needed tools to stay in school. Engage the child's family to become part of the education process early to stress the importance of completing high school. The addition of tutoring and mentoring at an early stage may help a struggling student succeed.