Video: Bus Tour Helps Students Choose to Stay in School

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Every 26 seconds a student drops out of high school in the United States. On Tuesday, Starkville High School students got a chance to visit the inside of a school bus that school officials hope will leave a lasting impression about the importance of finishing high school.

The Choice Bus arrived in Starkville this week and will be visited by over 500 students. This is no ordinary school bus. Instead of seats, it has a jail cell. The bus presentation includes a short film, a discussion about the importance of education and a chance to get a first-hand look inside of a prison cell.

“We ask them about their careers and what they’re thinking about as far as their future is concerned and help them understand that someone that stays in school can make a million dollars more over the course of a life time than someone who has dropped out of school,” says Lynn Smelley, Program Manager for the Mattie C. Stewart Foundation, which facilitates the bus tours across the nation.

The Stewart Foundation also partners with the Mississippi Department of Education, bringing the experience to thousands of students across the state.

“The state Department supports the efforts of the Choice Bus supported by State Farm, promoting dropout prevention, encouraging the students to make the right choices as they seek further advancement,” says Ross Williams with the Mississippi Department of Education.

Smelley says the Choice Bus is making an impact.

“We do know that the Choice Bus in conjunction with other efforts has seen the dropout rate in some of the states that we’ve been in. Now we don’t say that we are doing it, but we do know that we’re helping make a difference. That’s what we’re all about,” says Smelley.

The Choice Bus will also visit Armstrong Middle school on Wednesday.