By Joel Peterson

 Special to CSMS MagazinePeople are screaming and yelling for joy in the school auditorium. That’s the sound one usually hears during graduation ceremonies. For some kids, however, they could only dream of graduating from high school. Some times kids in the ghetto feel quitting school is their quick ticket to adulthood. There are just a couple of reasons why quitting school isn’t an option in today’s society. First of all, children shouldn’t leave school because without an education, it is almost impossible to get a decent job. Second of all, they shouldn’t quit school for most likely they would end up in the streets, being homeless by the time they are twenty-five.                                                Kids in high school shouldn’t quit at all. With out a high school diploma, students can only dream of going to college. Without a college education, how do you expect to get a job? Experts agree that 25% of teenagers, who drop out of school, end up in the un-employment zone. Most jobs nowadays won’t accept anyone without a high school diploma, not even McDonalds.            Getting a college degree is becoming a big necessity in the working industry. That is why a high school diploma is crucial to getting there. But if a child drops out of school, even the local supermarket won’t hire him. My local super market “Publix” will not let anyone work there without a high school education, and that rule will become official in 2017—ten years from now. McDonalds will not let anyone work the cash register without a diploma or a G.E.D. That is a rule in the company’s franchise manual plan for anybody who tries to buy into the business. Most likely if you don’t have a high school education, then you won’t have job. Sadly enough, without an education, you will just be another poor pillar in this strange and forever growing society.                                                                     In addition, without a high school education, you might end up living on the streets. C.N.N just recently reported that most homeless people are young and uneducated without a high school diploma. Most young teens just don’t understand that this is just one big whole cycle. Once you drop out of high school, life immediately becomes an entirely different ballgame for you. Most teenagers, who drop out of high school, nourish a strong desire to rent their own place to live.  Often, they end up going back home or get evicted if they can’t meet their bills. It is just a big cycle, and it just keeps repeating and repeating like a spiral.                                                                                             Finally, staying in school and graduate is the ONLY option for all children, especially those who are from disadvantage homes, where education is their only ticket out of poverty. Just because you are in the ghetto doesn’t mean you can’t grow and mature into a fine business executive. No matter what part of society you live in, whether it is an upper-class neighborhood, a middle-class suburb, or lower–class section in town, you can still be a productive citizen.Note: Joel Peterson is a senior from Nova High. He wrote this piece exclusively for CSMS Magazine.