I would hesitate to use "lazy" or "lack of work ethic." While maybe technically true, many of these kids and young adults are just products of their environment presented to them by their parents, grandparents, neighborhoods, etc. They may not know any other way. It's easy to finger point at the kids or the schools. But if a parent discourages accomplishment, either directly or just by example, how can we ever expect those kids to break the cycle and succeed (how ever you want to measure that) on their own?

I have had some success changing the father's view I mentioned in my example, probably since I see him every day and his kids are about the same age as my oldest two. We talk about our kids, how school is going, etc. It has taken several years before he stopped perceiving educational achievement as a negative and started talking about their successes with me. I don't know if that is the same with parents of other school kids, their family, friends outside of work.

Many of these kids and their parents have no contact outside of their usual environment which may not be entirely positive. Mentoring programs can be and are often successful, when there is someone who sees the value in getting those kids a positive influence. How do those kids who don't have a positive influence get the message that they can do better?

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)