African American youth in the US rural South are at elevated risk for poor sexual health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy. Historically, the southeastern USA has lagged behind in providing comprehensive sexuality-based education in secondary school, which may contribute to poor reproductive and sexual…

This study examined whether recent disruptive events would increase the likelihood of high school dropout among both rural and urban youths, and whether the types of disruptive events preceding dropout would be different in rural vs. urban environments. Based on interviews conducted with early school leavers and matched at-risk schoolmates (N =…

This exploratory case study examined how college-bound seniors from a rural community formed their personal system of values and how those values informed choices concerning higher education. Furthermore, this article considers implications for outreach and recruitments strategies in rural communities as well as support once rural students arrive…

This special "America After 3PM" report takes a closer look at the afterschool experiences of children and families living in rural communities and compares these experiences to those of children and families outside of rural communities. This report also serves to examine the ways programs are increasing opportunity in these…

The study investigated lateness as a recurrent problem among secondary school students in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State. Four hypotheses were formulated and an instrument titled "Cause of Lateness to School Questionnaire" (COLTSQ) used to gather data for the study. The instrument had a reliability coefficient of…

Purpose is a concept receiving increasing attention in the developmental sciences. Making sense of your place in the world and finding meaning--a process fundamental to purpose--support positive development in adolescence and beyond. Using traditional ethnographic strategies, this article examines the development of purpose among a small group of…

Prescription drug misuse has been an increasing problem in the United States, yet few studies have examined the protective factors that reduce risk of prescription drug abuse among rural adolescents. Using social control theory as a theoretical framework, we test whether parent, school, and community attachment reduce the likelihood of lifetime…

The idea of "place" extends beyond the locations where people live. Place is a narrative which shapes identity and culture and provides an understanding of experience. By exploring place and the connections which evolve from place, an intriguing context begins to take a shape that inspires transformational ideas and actions. This article…

Through an analysis of a corpus of youth-produced documentary video data collected at a youth media arts organization in rural Appalachia, I explore how these rural youth engaged in media literacy practices through creating documentary videos about themselves and their community. Using a theoretical foundation in literacies research, especially…

This special "America After 3PM" report takes a closer look at the afterschool experience for children living in rural communities. Earlier "America After 3PM" reports examined how children spend the hours after school, documenting the participation in afterschool programs, the unmet demand for programs, program offerings, and…

Despite the significant proportions of rural Americans, schools, and public school students situated in the geographic peripheries of an increasingly urbanizing country, rural education in the United States has consistently occupied both scholarly and policy peripheries. This is to the detriment of rural America, especially to the extent that…

Objective: Most youth in Sub-Saharan Africa are not enrolled in school. Although more youth are enrolling in school, they are increasingly less likely to complete their primary and secondary schooling. Similarly to many other African nations, Tanzania has an estimated out-of-school population of 49% of youth despite massive post-millennium…

Objective: Young people in urban areas are often the focus of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programmes because of their high risk of unwanted pregnancy and contracting an STI. Young people in rural areas are far less studied but also have a high risk of similar outcomes. This study evaluates Giving Our Girls…

The inadequacy of experimental activities (or lack of equipment) in science courses in rural parts of Turkey negatively effects students' acquisition of scientific thinking and inquiry skills. The fact that success rates are notably low in international assessments demonstrates the necessity to adopt "different" approaches apart from the…

Rural areas in many parts of the U.S. experience population decline from outmigration. Geographic mobility has long been a contributing factor to the social and economic instability of rural communities; high-achieving and ambitious youth are inclined to leave rural areas to take advantage of the expansive economic opportunities and cultural and…