American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen, Milwaukee
The statistics are striking: The United Way estimates that 40% of Milwaukee's ninth-graders won't stay in school until graduation.
More than two-thousand MPS students, between seventh and twelfth grade, drop-out of school each year. This dropout problem has ramifications throughout our society-from the jobless rate to crime to health care.
Nationally, the vast majority of students enter high school expecting to get a diploma. So, where is the disconnect?
Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) and WUWM are teamed up on a project called American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen. This national initiative is spearheaded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in partnership with the America's Promise Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
In November and December of 2011, MPTV and WUWM Radio produced a series of broadcasts examining high school graduation in the Milwaukee area. MPTV aired segments on our Black Nouveau and The 4th Street Forum series as well as two specials which are accessible on the buttons to the left
The first,"A Serious Conversation about Milwaukee's Graduation Problem" featured a number of concerned Milwaukee area citizens that work in education, and was hosted by WUWM's Mitch Teich, and streamed live on mptv.org November 30th. The second special was recorded at Discovery World in Milwaukee on December 8th, and hosted by MPTV's Dan Jones and featured MPS leaders as well as high school dropouts who had gone on to finish their high school educations at MATC.
On Saturday, September 22nd MPTV aired a full-day broadcast (12pm-7pm) and outreach event dedicated to engaging our country around the dropout crisis. Highlights included special celebrity guests, relevant spokespeople and compelling stories from the students themselves.
