Become involved with Block Watch activities. Summer community service projects. Contact Rotary or Kiwanis to start a club at school. National Junior Honor Society - tutoring, help students, volunteer. The focus is too much on grades.
Students have a difficult time the first year of high school because they start at the bottom again.
Some teachers have been teaching too long and are not motivated. Geographic location should not govern quality of education. Transition from 8th to 9th grade often stressful. Transportation concerns to magnet school. Students are allowed to dropout of high school at age 16.