Read the following passage about how schools across the country are tackling the challenge of keeping students interested in school. School to Work Programs by Lorelei Faye 1 Several years ago, faculty at Roosevelt High in Portland, Oregon recognized that many of their students went directly from high school to low-paying, dead-end jobs. No wonder the school's dropout rate was 13 percent. Kids didn't see a reason to stay in school. 2 Determined to make school more relevant to the workplace, the faculty developed I "Roosevelt Renaissance 2000." In their freshman year, students explore six career pathways:natural resources, manufacturing and engineering, human services, health occupations, business and management, and arts and communications. The following year, each student chooses one of the pathways and examines it in depth. The ninth and tenth graders also participate in job shadow experiences, spending three hours a semester watching someone on the job. 1 Which best reflects the author's thesis for this selection? "Middle schools need to reinforce exploration activities within the community at the same time they're reinforcing math and reading skills in the classrooms." (paragraph 6) "They tell them about the business and what the people B who work there do and what their salaries are," Ricker explains. (paragraph 8) "Representatives from the city came into the classroom and showed our students how math, science, writing,and C communication skills relate to building new structures," reports Eve Maria Hall,who oversees the school to work initiative for the Milwaukee Public Schools. (paragraph 10) From the time students enter school, "We need to D what they see today,"concludes National School to Work's encourage them to dream about careers that go beyond Hoye. (paragraph 14)