NEWS RELEASE
January 8, 2008

Juneau high schoolers encouraged to ‘stay in school’, graduate
State Farm supports ‘Smart Choices’ of teens and Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes

Teens in Juneau, Alaska will get more support to stay in school from their peers, community, and business leaders, thanks to a State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Grant.

Every 29 seconds in the U.S. a teenager drops out of high school. More than 1 million American high school students quit high school each year, and Juneau, Alaska is no exception.

To combat Juneau’s alarming high school dropout rate, State Farm Agent Reuben Willis will present a $1,500 State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Grant check to the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Central Council) to help establish “The Smart Choices Society.” Central Council President Bill Martin and Economic Development Intern Kyle Duncan will accept the grant on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. in the Andrew Hope Facility, 3rd Floor Conference Room, 320 West Willoughby Ave., Juneau, AK 99801. School and community leaders are also invited to the announcement, which is open to the public.

“The Smart Choices Society” is designed to encourage students in Juneau-Douglas High School to stay in school, graduate, and continue toward future life success. “The Smart Choices Society will reward students who make smart decisions and work to improve their grades,” explains Central Council Economic Development Intern Kyle Duncan. 

The program hits especially close to home for its originator. A former high school drop-out himself, Duncan’s concern and idea for the Society came from his experience and a desire to help more students graduate from Juneau-Douglas High School, which estimates about 5 percent of its students dropout and a disappointingly higher, 9 percent of its Alaska Native students fail to graduate.

Juneau Douglas’ dropout rate aligns with a dangerous statewide and national crisis that continues to climb. Alaska has 7 high schools recently labeled “dropout factories” by a John Hopkins University study for the Associated Press – schools where less than 60 percent of the students who start as freshman fail to graduate. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin herself is reaching out to any high school student in the state considering dropping out, urging each student to contact her to discuss alternatives.

According to America’s Promise Alliance:

• Nearly one-third of all public high school students and nearly half of all Native Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics fail to graduate from public school with their class;
• High school dropouts earn more than $1 million less over a lifetime than college graduates; and
• Dropouts are more than 8 times more likely to land in jail or prison than high school graduates.

Students will be invited to join the society after referral from educators and other adults. Smart Choices Society members must provide proof of academic progress to remain in the club, which will meet informally several times a month in casual settings, hosting guest speakers to discuss improving study skills, life skills, career choices, and the regional business scene. 

State Farm, Sealaska, Goldbelt, the Small Business Administration, University of Alaska Southeast and others support the program.  

“State Farm is proud to recognize the Central Council’s innovative approach to addressing the dropout concern in Juneau,” State Farm Agent Reuben Willis says.  “We hope our support of the Society helps students stay in school and establish sound consumer skills and financial awareness.”

State Farm, a partner in The America’s Promise Alliance, has a long tradition of supporting academic endeavors in Alaska and across the country. The America’s Promise Alliance is the nation’s largest multi-sector collaborative dedicated to the well-being of children and youth, working to improve the lives of 15 million at-risk young people through 5 promises.

“It’s critical that we break the drop-out cycle,” says Central Council President Bill Martin. “Today’s tribal youth are tomorrow’s future leaders. With The Smart Choices Society we will continue to support tribal youth education and increase leadership skills needed for our youth to succeed, strengthening future generations.”

As coordinator of “The Smart Choices Society,” 16-year-old Kyle Duncan will be a peer mentor to members. “As a youth, I know, if teens are rewarded for their smart decisions, they’ll continue to make good decisions,” Duncan says.  “Having the chance to meet, face-to-face with successful adults, local business and community leaders will motivate people like me to stay in school and improve their scholastic skills.”  In testament to his message and goals, Duncan recently received his G.E.D. (high school equivalency), works at the Central Council, and has just been accepted to University of Alaska Southeast.

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Contact:
Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Andrei Chakine, Business & Economic Development Manager
Achakine@ccthita.org