Want to spread the word about the ridiculous high school dropout rate? Write an article about it and get the article published. You’ll learn a lot and educate others, too.

Do your research

The net provides information with just a few clicks so use it. Do Something has some great info on school droputs that will help including facts and things you can do.

Leave the House

It might be tempting to stay inside and browse the Internet for hours. Sure, the Internet provides great tools (that’s why we mentioned it first) but you can get great insight by going out and interviewing people who already know about your cause. Reporters don’t get stories by sitting on their couches…and getting fresh air rules.

Ask

If you go to the library (don’t laugh, libraries are great), ask questions about books, old news article archives, film archives, etc. There is a lot of information out there about the issue of school dropouts; you just have to find it. Ask family and friends what they do and do not know about your cause. Set out to verify or disprove these beliefs.

Your audience matters

Are you writing for people older, younger, your own age? Choose your words and facts based on your audience.

Write it Out

Once you’ve done your research, start writing. Include the facts you’ve gathered. Don’t be shy to mention the scary ones because they tend to be the most effective.

Personal Accounts

Add in the horror stories you heard and your own personal description of what you encountered in your travels. This too makes for catchy writing. And a picture is a great way to engage your reader.

Editing

Always, always, always use spell-check. Spelling mistakes will distract your reader and take away from your point. Also make sure that you “get ‘em” with your first paragraph. You want people to enjoy your writing. It will keep them reading.

Title

A title can sell a book … same goes for an article, so DON’T title it “Research Report” even though that’s what it is.

Re-edit

And now that you’ve covered all the bases, edit your article again. Have other people read it who will give you their honest opinions and insight.

The End

End your article with a “More Resources” section or a “What you can do to Help” paragraph. You want to encourage people to keep investigating and to do something about the problem. Feel free to send them to dosomething.org.

Finished?

And now that you’re done, think about where you might want to submit your article for publication. Need some ideas? Here’s some:

• Contact your local or school paper.
• Email your article to editor@dosomething.org to be reviewed for inclusion in Build Magazine.
• Look for some magazines or newsletters focused on these issues. Send your article in.
• Better yet, find a website or blog that focuses on the issue of school dropouts and try to post your article there.
• Self publish—i.e., hand out your article around school or at a local sporting event. In this case, make sure your article has resources listed for what people can do to help.

And don’t forget to let Do Something know about the amazing things you’ve done!