James Carter, the Suggs' son, was featured in this 2008 article by Claudia Lauer where he describes drug problems and domestic abuse by his parents. Carter later was adopted by his older sister.
Three years ago, James Carter was an eighth-grader at Loris Middle School, about to be held back for the third time. His parents had problems with drugs and domestic abuse, Carter said, and often didn't make him go to school.
``When I was living with my parents, they didn't have the best lifestyle. And when you're that age and someone says you don't have to go to school, you don't go,'' he said. ``There were times when we didn't have electricity or water or food on the shelves, so school wasn't the first thing I thought about.''
Carter, now 18 and living with his older sister, was the kind of student Horry County Schools was looking for in 2006 to pilot a dropout-prevention program called Connect. He was behind grade level entering high school with the potential to graduate, but also the potential to be a dropout. Participants sign contracts of commitment to attendance and maintain a ``C'' average in exchange for graduating in three years.
In June, Carter will be among the first class to graduate from the Connect program, whose students attend one of the district's two academies.
Academy for Technology and Academics Principal David Stoudenmire said Connect students have surprised a lot of people because more than 80 percent of studentspassed both portions of the high school exit exams on the first try, on par with the state average and higher than half of the district's schools.
Jaywine McCray, 17, said he signed up for Connect because he wanted to graduate with his class.
``When I got here, the teachers are determined for you to pass, and they make you determined with them.''
McCray was held back after moving to South Carolina because some of his credits didn't transfer. Then McCray fell further behind when his mother and grandmother passed away within months of each other.
``A lot of kids have had deaths in their immediate families. There's a wide variety of reasons students can benefit from the program,'' said Sandra James, School to Work coordinator at the ATA. ``But it is a benefit. Jaywine has already been accepted to attend a culinary college next year.''
Dropout prevention
The program is among several directed efforts at Horry County Schools to lower the dropout rate, and while district officials are waiting for graduation numbers from the first class, they say the program is already a success.
``If a program can help even one child, it is a success,'' said Ben Hardee, director of guidance and career technology with Horry County Schools. ``With Connect, by their third year in the program, you can see the difference in the student, when they are about to graduate, which is something no one thought they could do three years ago.''
Hardee said dropout prevention programs start as early as third grade when students start to exhibit poor attendance behaviors. In addition to programs for at-risk students, he said there are programs for average students, to move them up to college-ready levels.
In the Georgetown County School District, there are dropout prevention programs targeted to different grade levels.
Celeste Pringle, assistant superintendent for Learning and School Improvement at the district, said the state requires that high school students be targeted for dropout prevention programs, but the patterns and signs of being in trouble can begin much earlier.
Perhaps one of the most important district programs starts when children are born. Parents who have not completed high school are pulled into the literacy program and taught to read with their children and develop good habits from birth to the age of 3. When possible, they are also enrolled in GED programs.
``It's one way that we can break the generational dropout cycle, and children who learn literacy skills early, typically a lot of them will enter into our accelerated and gifted programs,'' said Patti Hammel, director of staff development and leadership for the district.
In order to not be counted as a dropout by state and federal graduation rate formulas, a student must complete high school within four years and must receive a diploma, not a GED or equivalency degree.
Building a life
Connect program administrators hope to do more than lower the dropout rate; they also want students to think about life after high school.
``In addition to taking these students and helping them graduate on time, and helping them change their attitude and commit to their education, we are helping them think about the future,'' Stoudenmire said. ``We have several students who opt to take a fourth year of high school so they can stay and take career-track courses like automotive technology.''
Talyssa Fore enrolled in Connect with her twin sister after being held back for two years because the two would skip school and help their father around construction sites. The program has helped Fore develop goals for college.
``I've been taking education classes at the academy, and my little sister has Down Syndrome ...,'' she said. ``I want to work with troubled children and disabled youth.'' She's planning on going to Horry-Georgetown Technical College and continuing on from there.
Carter is also planning for his future. He is taking pre-law classes at the ATA and hopes to be accepted into an area police academy after he graduates.
``The teachers here, they help you structure your life and build your life,'' Carter said. ``If it weren't for this program, I wouldn't be where I am. I wouldn't be applying to the cadet program for the Myrtle Beach police.''
