In any given year, it is predictable that half of the freshmen entering high school in Chicago Public Schools will drop out before earning their high school diploma. WTA is dedicating to giving these students the kind of support they need to accomplish their goal and to go on to college, a career, vocational training or the military. In addition to a rigorous curriculum provided by a dedicated fac
ulty, students receive wrap around services from a team of mentors who seek to help them overcome the barriers that caused our students to leave the CPS system in the first place. WTA students also get exposed to educational and cultural activities in and around Chicago. Our students have even made trips together to both of the Obama presidential inaugurations. In addition, our students have been effective and successful advocates for drop outs at both the municipal and state level. Being an alternative school doesn't mean that WTA lacks for some of the traditional high school activities such as sports, prom, a wide variety of clubs, and student publications. WTA is interested not only in helping its students earn their diploma and move on to start their lives, it is also interested in developing concerned and involved citizens who will become active in their community. Our students have gone on to become social workers, teachers, policemen who have, in their turn, given a hand up to others in their community.
