Des Moines Public Schools, United Way of Central Iowa, and Wells Fargo work together in support of the annual Graduation Walk. Held each August, Graduation Walk is a community effort to reach students who are behind in class credits, chronically absent from school, or at risk of dropping out. Visits to the homes of these students offer encouragement to start the school year and to continue their education, as well as let them know about programs that support them in keeping on the path to graduation.

The 2017 Graduation Walk will be held on the morning of Saturday, August 26. We invite you to volunteer for this important event. To do so simply click on the appropriate link below:

At Graduation Walk, you’ll be part of a team of 3-4 community volunteers and school administrators who will go to the homes of students who have dropped out of Des Moines Public Schools or who are at risk of dropping out because of lack of credits. You will connect with the student and family and provide an opportunity to re-enroll. When a young person does not graduate high school, it’s an issue for all of us.

Why is Graduation Walk so important? Consider:

  • Dropouts stand to earn, on average, $707,400 less over their lifetimes compared to their peers who graduate.
  • People who drop out of high school are four times more likely to be unemployed, five times more likely to become incarcerated, and six times more likely to become teen parents.
  • Adding the loss of income and the human service costs, every dropout represents a million dollar issue. The past five events volunteers have had a major influence on the lives of youth, offering them the information and opportunity they need to complete high school and build a positive future.

In one Saturday morning, you can help a young person make the best decision of their life: to graduate from high school.

The success of Graduation Walk is thanks to our hundreds of volunteers.