Billboards helping bring dropouts back to school

Leslie Garcia dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. She was working in a warehouse, but her options for a career were limited. Life as a dropout was not what she thought it would be, and she began to think she would never get a chance to earn a high school diploma. But one day she spotted a billboard on the 215 Freeway near Perris.

Huge white letters said: “High School Dropout? Get Your Diploma or GED, No Cost. Call (877) 726-3225.”

It was a moment that changed her life. “I called the number, they invited me to an orientation,” said Garcia. “I registered and I am in classes now. I will finish this year.”

Garcia is one of hundreds of former dropouts enrolled in Come Back Kids (CBK), a program offered by the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) to help young people ages 16-22 finish their high school studies and earn a diploma or GED.

“Many do not want a GED – only a high school diploma will do,” said Administrator Debra Sacks. CBK was launched three years ago to help dropouts return to school, and is now using federal
grant money to attract students, some of which is used for billboards.

There are two billboards – one is on the 215 Freeway near Oleander Avenue in Perris and the other is on the 60 Freeway near Valley Way in Rubidoux – and more are planned.

The billboards have generated more than 300 telephone calls for the program since September 2010. The program started with 300 students enrolled the first year, which rose to 600 last year.
This year, the numbers will be higher.

Students attend classes at regional learning centers or RCOE classrooms in Banning, Indio, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Rubidoux, Palm Springs, San Jacinto, Val Verde/Perris,
and Temecula. It’s a different experience from a regular high school. They work one-on-one with their teachers, receive counseling on catching up on their credits and preparing for careers.
The individual attention works. More than 200 young people have picked up diplomas or are in line to get one through CBK.

“I am very happy,” said Garcia. “I want to go to college, enroll in criminal justice. I wouldn’t have achieved this any other way.”