Philly teens redefine their education

VIDEO - Philadelphia students redefined themselves - no longer accepting the term dropout by referring to themselves as push-outs...

TheGrio Staff

Jun 8, 2011

Philadelphia students redefined themselves – no longer accepting the term dropout by referring to themselves as pushouts.

“We’re not calling it dropouts anymore. It’s pushouts because we were pushed over the edge,” student Mary Simmons said.

These students are in the Yes Philly Program to earn their GED. They created a documentary to address the high statistic and renaming the stereotype that comes with it.

“The word dropout comes with so many negative stereotypes. So we decided to start over and kind of define ourselves,” Simmons said. “Hear what we have to say and we’re not as maybe dumb as people think.”

WATCH NBC PHILADELPHIA’S COVERAGE HERE
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Executive director Taylor Frome created the program 11 years ago. According to Frome, there was about a 50 percent dropout rate in Philadelphia. She decided to make a difference — meeting several young people who dropped out of school.

“What I saw was they had huge potential, that they were smart and that if you gave them right opportunity they could really turn their life around and be an asset,” Frome said.

Frome said the program provides fun, creative opportunity where their students can make a difference.

Click here to read more from NBC Philadelphia.