A Student Reflects on Going to High School in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City (2024)

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

I am the product of a single-parent household. My mother is a God-fearing woman who raised me in the church. She’s always taught me to be thankful for what I have and to strive to make my community a better place.

While I have a strong love for social media, I must admit it has not made the world the kind of place my mom raised me to envision. Some have used it to negatively portray my home town of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Based on TikTok and Instagram, you’d think that crime and crumbling infrastructure are problems unique to us, and not a challenge throughout the United States.

That negative spin may tell part of the story. But it’s far from the complete picture. It leaves out how residents, particularly students, are working to turn the community around.

My mother made sure I followed the rules, got a good education and stayed safe. But I saw bullyingup close when I was in the 9thgrade. Worst of all, I was robbed one morning while walking to school. I lost my phone, my wallet, but most importantly, my sense of security. At Pine Bluff High School,I witnessed students being disrespectful to each other and not accepting people’s individual differences. I also have friends who got involved in fights. Some lost their lives to violence.

I wanted to prevent others from experiencing what I did. When I was elected president of the Pine Bluff HighStudent Council in the fall of 2023, Iformed apartnership with the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission to host events on our campus to deter bullying and bring a sense of family to the high school.Students signed agreements to work together and to tell security personnel, their teachers or the principal if someone was being disrespectful or talking about hurting someone. I am happy to say it worked. Some students became friends; others faced disciplinary actions.

Saving Schools in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City

Exodus and renewal in Pine Bluff, Arkansas

It has been a year of many revelations. Last summer, I was selected to attend Arkansas Boys State, a camp in Conway, Arkansas, that focuses on leadership and civic engagement. My time there awakened me to something my mother tried to shield me from — namely, that I had little exposure to people of different cultures. As a young Black male from Pine Bluff, whose school population is around 97% African American, I loved the opportunity to meet more white and Asian students from all over Arkansas.

But the experience also revealed that many of my new friends had far more exposure totechnology than we do in our poor school district — technology like AI, flying drones and robots. In Pine Bluff, we have an after-school program that touches on these subjects, but it would be great to have it offered in school every day.

A Student Reflects on Going to High School in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City (2)

I am excited that our community is building a brand-new high school, with modern technology and learning spaces that can offer courses in AI and computer programming. I will be in college when the new school is built, but it makes me optimistic for the young scholars who will be attending the best high school in Arkansas in a beautiful, new state-of-the-art building. While my school is already tops in sports — number one in the state in basketball for the second consecutive year and 2023 5A champions in football — I’m hopeful that one day the Pine Bluff School District will be number one in academics as well.

After COVID-19, some of us, including myself, fell a bit behind academically, especially in math. Most of us hated virtual learning and sometimes did not pay attention to our teachers. Owning up to the problem, the district’s new superintendent and newly appointed school board have introduced academic programs and partnered with community groups to help us catch up. For example, there will be year-round schoolstarting next year. I believe this is going to help scholars increase their retention and knowledge, thus improving test scores. I am proud to say that ACT scores and academics in general are going up.

A Student Reflects on Going to High School in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City (3)

I know the doubters are wrong because change is in our bones. Pine Bluff enjoys such a rich history. I am most proud of the fact that Wiley A. Branton, Sr., a Pine Bluff attorney, helped to desegregate the University of Arkansas School of Law. I am so impressed that he represented the Little Rock Nine, the Black students who walked into Central High School in 1957, and also served as counsel with Thurgood Marshall, who later became thefirst Black justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Branton’s historical accomplishments inspire me to become an attorney. I want to come back to Pine Bluff and make a positive impact in my community, bringing fresh ideas and helping students from single-parent homes understand that they can be successful in life. I plan to be a positive role model for kids who look like me.

A Student Reflects on Going to High School in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City (2024)

FAQs

A Student Reflects on Going to High School in America’s Fastest-Shrinking City? ›

I lost my phone, my wallet, but most importantly, my sense of security. At Pine Bluff High School, I witnessed students being disrespectful to each other and not accepting people's individual differences. I also have friends who got involved in fights. Some lost their lives to violence.

Which factor is related to an increased risk of dropping out of school? ›

Multiple Risk Factors: The most important characteristics associated with youth dropping out of school are a combination of two or more risk factors, including: Low math and science achievement test scores, Not having both natural parents in the home, Low parental educational attainment, and.

Is dropping out of school bad? ›

Dropping out of high school has long-term consequences, including reduced employment opportunities, lower earnings, and higher rates of poverty and crime.

Which group of students is more likely to drop out of school? ›

There is a direct correlation between lower income and an increased risk of dropout among all postsecondary students. Older students are also more likely to drop out than students who first enrolled as teenagers. There is a lower percentage of college dropouts between the ages of 35 and 64 than under 35.

What leads to high school dropouts? ›

Family factors that can impact school dropout include low socioeconomic status, low education level of parents, family disruption, and siblings who have dropped out of school. Job-related factors occur when the student's employment interferes with attending school.

What are 3 consequences of dropping out of school? ›

High percentages of young dropouts are either not employed or are not even in the labor force. The rate of engagement in high-risk behaviors such as premature sexual activity, early pregnancy, delinquency, crime, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide has found to be significantly higher among dropouts.

How do dropouts affect the community? ›

Relative to individuals who complete high school, the average high school dropout costs the economy approximately $272,000 over his or her lifetime in terms of lower tax contributions, higher reliance on Medicaid and Medicare, higher rates of criminal activity, and higher reliance on welfare (Levin and Belfield 2007).

Can high school dropouts be successful? ›

Is it possible to drop out of high school and succeed? Yes! Just because you didn't finish high school in a traditional manner, doesn't mean you lack the intellect and skills needed to succeed. Taking an alternate road to higher education and a career you love may not be easy, but it is possible.

What are the factors affecting students at risk of dropping out? ›

Results showed that family, school, school/teacher, lack of guidance and counseling, social, individual, and socioeconomic factors were the common factors influencing student dropout behavior.

What is the most likely reason for a student to drop out of school? ›

These can include health issues, family responsibilities, pregnancy, substance abuse, mental health challenges, or trauma. Personal problems can make it hard for students to focus on their studies, attend classes regularly, or cope with stress. They may also feel isolated, unsupported, or ashamed of their situation.

What are three factors that put someone at risk of dropping out of high school? ›

Student Related:
  • Poor school attitude.
  • Low ability level.
  • Attendance/truancy.
  • Behavior/discipline problems.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Drug abuse.
  • Poor peer relationships.
  • Nonparticipation.

What is the leading factor for dropout? ›

There are several factors that lead students to drop out of school. These factors include individual factors such as gender, grade, academic performance, and depression. Family factors such as parental autonomy support, parental neglect, and parents' divorce also contribute to school dropout.

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