Ashley's Story: “I feel more motivated now”

Ashley didn’t want to drop out of school. But the teen mom was struggling to keep up with her studies while caring for her baby.

Just weeks into her senior year, she was already so far behind that graduating on time seemed impossible.

Then the phone rang.

As Ashley was fighting to be a good mom and a good student, officials from Michigan’s Bloomingdale School District had been fighting to find ways to support students like her while dealing with the challenges of the worst budget environment in decades. In the fall of 2009, the district began a partnership with NoDropouts’ prevention and recovery program. The district identified students who had dropped out of school or were receiving poor grades due to frequent absences; NoDropouts took it from there.

For Ashley, it was a lifeline: The online program allowed her to continue pursuing her high school diploma while giving her the freedom to continue caring for her son.

She enrolled immediately.

“The difference is that I can do the work on my own time so that I can continue taking care of my son," she said. “I feel more motivated now... and I’m even getting better grades.”

Is there an Ashley in your community? We can help you help her. Call us at 855-NO-DROPOUTS or send an e-mail to info@nodropouts.com