For Immediate Release                                                                                   
Contact: Kristin Tutino, WXXI, (585) 258-0253

WXXI NEWS PRESENTS THE DROPOUT DILEMMA, AN AMERICAN GRADUATE TOWN HALL MEETING TO DISCUSS HOW ROCHESTER’S HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY

Rochester, New York (November 29, 2011) – WXXI News presents The Dropout Dilemma, a live television American Graduate town hall meeting on Thursday, December 15 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV/HD (DT21.1/cable 1011 and 11). Co-hosted by WXXI’s Helene Biandudi and WDKX’s Tariq Spence, the program will explore how the Rochester City School District’s high dropout rate is impacting the Greater Rochester community. Participants will examine the issue from many perspectives, including the social and economic impact on the region.  In addition to a panel of community leaders, young people and staff from the Center for Teen Empowerment will share their thoughts about how the dropout crisis affects their lives and neighborhoods.

Panelists include: Dr. Walter Cooper, New York State Regent Emeritus; Erika Rosenberg, an analyst with the Center for Governmental Affairs; and Minister Avery Blackman, founder of African-American Youth Cultural Development, Inc.

In addition, WXXI.org will feature guest essays on the topic written by city and school district officials. The Dropout Dilemma follows extensive reporting by WXXI News on the scope and root causes of Rochester’s dropout epidemic. To listen and read more reports visit WXXI.org/new.

The Dropout Dilemma? is part of the American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen initiative, a public media project supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to help local communities across America address the dropout crisis. To read more about the national project, visit ?<http://americangraduate.org>. WXXI is one of 40 American Graduate Engagement Communities selected to drive widespread awareness of the causes and ramifications of a high dropout rate; provide community members with ways to actively support at-risk students; and promote the pathways to existing community resources by partnering with 2-1-1 and other key stakeholders. To learn more about the local project, watch on-demand national programming and view local resources on the issue, visit the WXXI American Graduate project web site at: <http://WXXI.org/grad>. The WXXI American Graduate Community Engagement Project is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with local support from RochesterMentors.?

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