Newsroom

It was a packed auditorium at John Philip Sousa Middle School last week for the second annual kickoff of “I Belong Here,” OAG’s year-long attendance competition that works to combat school truancy. Appearances from the Sousa football team, cheerleaders, and dance team, along with the Howard University cheerleaders, had students on their feet cheering and there was reason to celebrate! Last year, Sousa’s participation in “I Belong Here” helped the school achieve the most improved attendance rate in the District, reducing its truancy rate by 75 percent.

This year, “I Belong Here” has expanded its attendance competition to include students from all grades in the school. Sousa students will compete for prizes given for best homeroom attendance, perfect attendance, and most improved attendance. As part of the program, OAG staff also serve as ambassadors for homerooms, leading lesson plans on topics such as responsibility and empathy. These lessons work to disrupt the negative behaviors associated with truancy rates and positively reinforce the idea that students belong in school.

Incentives for this attendance competition are generously provided by OAG’s program partner, Howard University, who help with the program’s kickoff and end-of-year pep rallies. At last year’s end-of-year celebration, students toured the Howard University campus and saw what higher education can be like if they work hard and stick with school.

At the end of last week’s kickoff, the co-captains of the Howard University Cheerleaders, who performed earlier in the program, asked students to raise their hands if they had big dreams; students responded with a sea of raised hands. The captains reminded students that their best shot at a successful future starts by staying in school and learning. Before they left the stage, the co-captains asked how many students were committed to making attendance a priority this school year; once again, an enthusiastic sea of raised hands.

“I Belong Here” is just one component of a larger effort by OAG to reduce truancy in the District. Working with the D.C. Superior Court and the District’s Department of Human Services, OAG launched two diversion programs (“ATTEND” and “TRIAGE”) to connect families of truant students with services like mentoring, tutoring, and mental health services that can help address the underlying causes of absenteeism.