Indians Alter Student Rewards Program In Wake Of Low Area Graduation Rates

The Indians are "discontinuing their popular decades-long High Achievers program, which rewarded children with free Indians tickets for academic success," according to Emily Bamforth of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. The club instead will "redirect resources to other initiatives, including the new Tribe Scholars." The program rewards students who "improve or show continued excellence in English classes, mainly in the City of Cleveland." Indians Senior Dir of Communications Curtis Danburg said that "alarming trends, such as low graduation rates in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, spurred the organization to shift their efforts." Bamforth notes the team has "offered the Tribe Scholars program to 40 schools with students in grades 6-8." Rewards include "two tickets per grading period for those who earn an A for the grading period or improve a letter grade, as well as maintain" a 93% attendance rate. The decades-long High Achievers program "rewarded students for A's and B's" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/24).