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TAYLORSVILLE — Kindergarteners from elementary schools across the Granite School district gathered Thursday to commit to graduating from high school. The program is part of an effort to keep kids excited about learning.
When they're young, learning is fun.
"I just like learning everything," said kindergartener Miles Jenson.
And that's the attitude the Granite School District Board of Education wants to keep up.
"The real push for everybody at Granite School District is to raise our graduation rate, and it starts here with the kindergarteners," said Sarah Meir, a school board member.
For the past five years, graduation rates across the state have been steadily increasing as dropout rates decrease. But according to recent reports from the State Office of Education, Granite School District's graduation rates are among the lowest in the state.
So to encourage all students to graduate, members of the Granite school board decided to show kindergarteners what they have to look forward to. They invited students from eight elementary schools to Taylorsville High School Thursday for a special assembly involving choir and band members, cheerleaders and the drill team.
As the kids watched the presentation, they began planning out the what activities they want to get involved with when they get to high school.
Each kindergartener got a "Class of 2025" T-shirt to help them remember they are committed to graduating. And when they earn their diploma, each student will trade in that T-shirt for a cap and gown.
The program was a first for Granite School District, and the school board said it shows their commitment to getting a 100 percent graduation rate in the years to come.
