COVER LETTER: Thank you, Dan, for reviewing my RESUME. I look forward to your reply. References Available. Doctoral Dissertation Abstract The purpose of my study was to produce a profile of the high school Re-entry student, as well as to examine the reasons that Returnees or Re-entry students gave for going back to high school to earn their diplomas. Twenty-one students attending a NYC alternative high school, designated The School, were interviewed. The open-ended format of the interview questions yielded responses that led to an understanding of why the students returned to high school rather than pursuing a GED after a break in their studies or a change in circumstances. Replies pointed to academic and financial aid programs, environmental conditions, availability of staff and other in-school services that attracted, sustained and nourished the social and educational needs of the Returnees. Also revealed in data analysis were the characteristics of the Returnees: focused, courageous and resilient, optimistic, self-directed, flexible, creative, and mature enough to be able to self-reflect and plan for a future. Dr. Miriam Dreisinger mdbronx@optonline.net

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