(BLACK PR WIRE/FAMU-TALLAHASSEE) "" Have you ever been to a high needs public school? Do you know a student who acts out for attention? Did you know that approximately every 26 seconds a student gives up on education? Many high school students don't have strong support systems so when they give up, they usually quit for good. Something must be done to improve high school retention and graduation rates in America. This is a serious problem for the nation.

City Year is a non-profit, education-based program that allows students ages 17-24 the opportunity to give back to their community. The corps members act as personal cheerleaders to students at persistently low-achieving high schools. According to giveforyouth.org, "The students who are dropping out of school are overwhelmingly people of color. Nearly half of all African American and Native American students will not graduate with their class, and only six in ten Hispanic students will." Corps members tutor students in detrimental subjects and mentor them as needed.

Students that identify with the African American race make up over 80 percent of the population at historically black colleges and universities. Blacks and whites have been the most tested groups of people. "Thirty Years of Research on Race differences in Cognitive Ability," written by Philippe Rushton and Arthur Jenson, reveals African-Americans have more intellectual potential than Caucasians. It says, "Between 11 and 16 percent of the black population have an IQ above 100 (that of a Caucasian)."

Black students today need to realize the power of an education and the potential they possess and City Year corps members are there to inspire them every step of the way. Rather than sitting around after graduation or frantically searching for internships to boost one's marketability, students can volunteer 10 months of service to City Year and help shape the minds of America's future scholars.

Corps members are off on all major holidays, receive a biweekly living stipend, and a generous bonus upon completion of time served. This can be used to pay off loans or further your education. Serving with City Year can lead to endless job opportunities and lots of networking. Join the corps and "make better happen."