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CNN Live Today

New Graduation Requirement Prepares Students for Future

Aired May 08, 2002 - 12:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: At one school district in California, a new graduation requirement is meant to raise a student's commitment to the future. It also is raising complaints.

Jaime Garza of affiliate station KCAL has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GIOVANNI AGUILAR (ph), HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I want to, like, try animation.

JAIME GARZA, KCAL REPORTER (voice-over): Giovanni Aguilar (ph) had no idea what he wanted to do when he finishes high school. That was until he was forced to investigate his options.

Under a new requirement at eight San Fernando Valley high schools, students have to outline a post-high school plan. That's if they want to wear the cap and gown and participate in graduation activities.

ROBERT COLLINS, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERVISOR: It is not about a bureaucratic policy that's been set up to trap youngsters -- quite the contrary.

GARZA: Superintendent Robert Collins defends the mandated policy and points to Giovanni as one of many success stories. He says Giovanni learned he had artistic talent, which eventually led to a scholarship at an art school. He says Giovanni discovered an opportunity that he never dreamed was within his reach.

ANTHONY HARBOR, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: I really, like, appreciate their help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This definitely opened up the conversation and gave us a chance to talk to the students and remind them that there are things to do, and let them make the decision, not necessarily the parent or some great aunt or somebody else making that decision for them.

GARZA: A large number of the 3,800 graduating seniors will be heading to college or trade school. And others will enroll in internships or military service. Superintendent Collins says his goal is to ensure that all students are aware of their possibilities. And his strategy is apparently paying off. COLLINS: We had three students over here at Birmingham High School who had no idea of what they were going do. They thought about becoming short-order cooks in a restaurant. We've got two enrolled in a culinary school in the Valley and one in Santa Monica, while they still do the short-order cooking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There aren't a lot of options out there anymore for people with just a high school diploma.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need some kind of post-high-school education, some kind of career that -- there must be something that you can do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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