I Dropped Out...The Series

25% of all children drop out of school before graduation. This disturbing statistic is the impetus for this cautionary two-part documentary which portrays the realities of finding work without a diploma, and exhorts the "dropped out" to drop back in, either by returning to high school, obtaining a G.E.D., or entering a vocational/technical school, among other options. The first tape, I Dropped Out...But 1 Didn't Think It Would Be Like This!, explores the various reasons that teens drop out of school (pregnancy, broken homes, academic failure, peer pressure, etc.), and interviews several students who have dropped out - and are now suffering the consequences. In one poignant sequence, a young mother shows viewers around her woefully small and underfurnished apartment. This first tape ends with some preventive suggestions to help students get help before they drop out. The second tape, I Dropped Out ..But It's Never Too Late to Drop Back In!, illustrates the various options available to dropouts, with extensive sections on the G.E.D., vo-tech schools, and job training programs through the Job Corps. Both programs are well done, and would be most appropriate for use in high school library or career guidance centers. Recommended. (See EATING: OUT OF CONTROL for availability.)