High school dropouts are a growing concern throughout the United States. So much so that the issue has been included in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the No Child Left Behind Act. Some students drop out to help support their families, others are starting their own families as teenagers, while others are experiencing academic problems, attendance problems, or behavior problems and feel the need to drop out prior to obtaining their diploma. In an effort to combat dropout rates twice the state average, the Waco Independent School District in Waco, Texas opened STARS High School. STARS stands for Students That Are Reaching Success, and that is just what they are doing! The school is an alternative, academic-type high school which meets at alternative hours compared to the normal 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. school day, thus, meeting the needs of working students who want to continue their education. The philosophy behind the school is based on the "Contextual Learning" approach to education, where the content is related to past experiences of the learner. This is coupled with "Choice Theory," developed by Dr. William Glaser, which provides an atmosphere and approach where students realize they are responsible for the choices they make and these choices are what enable them to experience success. As a result, the students come to realize the need to arrive prepared and get involved with their academic experiences on an individual basis to reach their first goal--receiving their high school diploma.