News Release

Maryland's Tomorrow: Drop-out Prevention That Works

By the time she finished eighth grade, Julia was barely getting by. She had a rocky home life and sometimes lived in shelters. Her self-esteem was low, she had a D average and had missed 25 days of school. By the time she entered high school, she was considered severely at risk of dropping out.

That's when she was selected by the city public school system to become a Maryland's Tomorrow student.

This June, an entirely different Julia Kennedy will collect her high school diploma. Now she is a confident young woman with a 4.0 academic average. She is involved in extra-curricula activities, maintains nearly perfect attendance, was recently nominated for the USAA All-American Scholars Award, and will enter Maryland University-Eastern Shore in the fall.

Julia credits her turn-around to the help she received from the 10-year-old Maryland's Tomorrow program, one of the country's longest-running and most effective programs in addressing teen drop-out prevention.

On Wednesday, May 13, a month before she graduates from high school, Julia will be one of 24 Maryland's Tomorrow students awarded a Bright Star.

Maryland's Tomorrow serves some 7,000 at-risk teenagers in 75 schools in Maryland's 24 school jurisdictions. Sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Education, The Johns Hopkins University, private industry councils and local departments of education, Maryland's Tomorrow is a five-year, year-round program that offers tutoring, counseling, work experiences and motivation and leadership services. Perhaps most importantly, it provides students at-risk with a consistent, one-on-one relationship with a caring adult, either a Maryland's Tomorrow teacher, a case manager or a counselor that lasts from freshman year to a year after graduation as the student transitions to higher education or to work.

And it works. The program has a statewide drop-out rate of 5.8 percent. For the entire state, 40 percent of all Maryland's Tomorrow programs had lower drop-out rates than their host schools. For example, at Frederick Douglass High in Baltimore City, the drop-out rate of Maryland's Tomorrow students was 15 percent, compared with 23 percent of the Bright Stars whole student body. In Northeast High in Anne Arundel County, the drop-out rate for Maryland's Tomorrow students was zero percent compared with the school rate of 5 percent. And in many cases, by 11th grade the GPA's of Maryland's Tomorrow students equals, if not exceeds, high school averages.

"Much of the program is based on common sense," said Marion Pines, senior fellow at Hopkins' Institute for Policy Studies and founder of Maryland's Tomorrow. "It provides a consistent relationship with a caring adult who helps them get through a very confusing period in life. It's a partnership with the business community, which offers mentorships and a sense of relevancy to learning and extra help in developing basic skills.

"Yet despite its simplicity and its track record, there is an appalling lack of drop-out prevention programs that go beyond the elementary school level in this country," she said.

During the 1998 Bright Stars ceremony, Kennedy will share the limelight with 23 other Maryland's Tomorrow students, each nominated by their school jurisdiction. Regardless of whether these students were placed at risk because of family problems, pregnancies, gang or neighborhood violence, poor reading or math skills or low self-esteem, these are teenagers who prove that with help, they can do more than simply battle the odds and stay in school. They can soar.

1998 Bright Stars Ceremony Time: 5 p.m. Date: Wednesday, May 13 Place: Martin's West

Guest speaker: Jackie D'Antonio. Graduate of Maryland's Tomorrow, now a student at Towson University, majoring in environmental science. During her freshman year at Perryville High in Cecil County, Jackie rebelled against authority and school. She had 42 absences and a .62 GPA. As she became active in MT, she began going to school, taking advanced placement classes and graduated with a 3.7 GPA. Following is a list of some of the awardees of the Tenth Annual Bright Star Ceremony. For a complete list of honorees from every Maryland school jurisdiction, please contact Leslie Rice at 410-516-7160. Christopher Randolph, senior, Northern High School, Baltimore City. When he was a freshman, Christopher became a teenage father. Throughout high school, he has had enormous personal responsibilities and held multiple part- time jobs to support his family. He went from a .80 average to a 2.7 average. "The world is better than my neighborhood," says Christopher. "I'm going to college so that I can make something of my life and so my daughter can know that her father is a success." Daniel Yurcovic, senior, Edgewood High School, Edgewood, Md. During his freshman year, Dan's only goal was to turn 16 so he could quit school. This year he was a mentor and computer trainer to at-risk ninth grade students. His goal is to double major in business and computer science in college and return to Edgewood High School to teach. Erica Batson, senior, North Dorchester High, Dorchester County. Erica went from a 1.25 to a 3.5 average. She was elected president of her junior and senior class, serves as prom chair, participates in band, on three athletic teams, and mentors younger MT students. She plans to attend University of Maryland, Eastern Shore in the fall. Elizabeth Anderson, junior, Great Mills High, St. Mary's County. She started high school with 70 absences, a 1.25 GPA and little motivation. Now she holds a 3.3 average while providing daily care for two children, ages 11 and 6. When she graduates, she will enter Johnson and Wales College in Florida, a culinary institute, with 15 credits. She wants to become a master chef in a 5-star hotel. William Randolph Poist II, senior, Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts. Randy got by in school with Cs and Ds his freshman year. During sophomore year, he failed Algebra II and English 9 for the second time. But he wanted to play sports, so he began working with his MT teacher and started to study. As he began to do better, he was encouraged to take on more academically challenging classes. And despite hardships at home and transportation issues, he still manages good attendance. After college, he wants to become an elementary school teacher. Christopher Butt, senior, South Carroll High, Carroll County. Chris did not buy into Maryland's Tomorrow for a long time and repeatedly told his MT teacher and career advisor to leave him alone. In addition to poor performance and poor attendance, he had another issue to deal with: in 11th grade, he was arrested for possession of narcotics and led from school in handcuffs. This year, he finally began working with his MT advisor, he made honor roll and is in the process of enrolling in Montgomery College. "Ms. Morey (his MT advisor) really helped me turn my life around. She was on my butt a lot, but it did pay off," says Chris. Jeremy McKenzie, senior, Northern Garrett High, Accident, Md. A perennial C- student, Jeremy now holds a B+ average. He is a leader in numerous school activities and was recently listed in Who's Who in American High School Students. He plans to attend Catonsville Community College and major in construction. Some day, he'd like to own his own construction business. Rachel Catalina, senior, Perryville High School, Cecil County. Rachel was very active in Maryland's Tomorrow programs since she entered high school and spent a lot of her free time volunteering for charities. Then, near the end of her junior year, she became pregnant. Where many other teens would have quit school, Rachel didn't give up. She worked with her MT teachers and attended school at night to graduate early. She never used her pregnancy as an excuse; she had only one absence and maintained a 4.0 average. She works full- time and cares for her child while its father works. She will attend Cecil Community College in the fall to pursue a career in nursing. LaTanya Poulson, junior, Stephon Decatur High, Worcester, Md. When she started high school, LaTanya was already two years behind in reading, she was failing classes and numerous disciplinary referrals. Now she is enrolled in college prep classes, maintains a 3.0 average, tutors other students, and is a leader in the Future Business Leaders of America Club. Michael McMullen, junior, Washington High, Somerset County. Due to family relocations, Michael attended four different schools in Pennsylvania from 1992 to 1994. He failed sixth grade. Today Michael has a GPA of 3.6, is section leader of the band, is involved in community service projects and has received a Statesman Award from the VICA Leadership Conference.