CCFC in Action: A Success Story Are You C2G?

No one can argue that today's student is tech-savvy. Teens Face Book, Myspace, Twitter, and text at lightning speed. David Thibodeau, Harlem High Schools graduation coach, decided to reach his students using language they could understand. In December, David put signs up around campus that said, Are you C2G.

Translation?  Are you Committed to Graduate? Students were curious as to what the signs meant.  Are you coming to the game? Are you coming to Grovetown? Were just some guesses.

Next, the graduation coach asked a sign company to make vinyl labels of graduation caps. Thibodeau placed them on all the schools bathroom mirrors.  When students looked at themselves in the mirror they saw a graduate staring back at them.  At first, Mr. Thibodeau was concerned that teens might not respond to this approach. He asked one student what she would do when she saw them. The student responded, I'd be in the bathroom with my cell phone taking a picture of myself!   He knew he was on to something.

The trademark for C2G is owned by Lisa Spain. Jostens, a major supplier of graduation materials, has partnered with Ms. Spain to help motivate Georgia students to graduate.  But Harlem is making the idea into a community-wide effort. C2G decals were given to students to put on their cars. On January 5, the first official day back from the winter break, every faculty and staff member wore a t-shirt with Harlem HS Commitment to Graduate and Are you C2G? on the back. The school hosted a spaghetti supper and juniors signed a formal commitment to graduate.  Similar activities were held for seniors.

Driving through Harlem the other night after a baseball practice, my son said look theres a C2G sticker. We pulled into the gas station, and he said look there is a C2G sticker, there is another one, and another one, said Mr. Thibodeau. For the most part, the new initiative has been well received by students, business leaders, and other community members. According to Mr. Thibodeau, "I went to the Harlem Merchants meeting, and they said that they would provide anything we needed to support students on this. In the past, talking about dropping out, I didn't get that kind of reception." The C2G initiative is coming across in a positive light, and people are much more open.  The next step is to expand the initiative to Harlem Middle School. A completion ceremony for is planned for Harlem 9th graders. Family Connection supports the C2G initiative. Columbia County Family Connection supports the C2G initiative.