Around this time of year, high school seniors are turning their thoughts to spring break, senior projects, the prom, and of course graduation. At the same time, they are anxiously waiting to hear from colleges, nervous about whether they will find the "thick" or "thin" envelope in the mailbox. In spite of all the hustle-bustle and the stress, these are good times.

However, not all teens are preoccupied with high school graduation and college prospects. One in four U.S. public school students drops out of high school, which amounts to about 1.2 million students failing to graduate from high school each year. Nearly one-third of teen girls cite pregnancy or parenthood as a key reason for dropping out of high school. Only 40 percent of teen moms finish high school, and less than two percent of teen moms who have a baby before age 18 finish college by age 30.

Everyone benefits from increased graduation rates. The graduates themselves, on average, will earn higher wages and enjoy more comfortable and secure lifestyles. At the same time, the nation benefits from their increased purchasing power, collects higher tax receipts, and sees higher levels of worker productivity. Over the course of a lifetime, a college graduate will earn, on average, $1 million more than a high school dropout. So not only is dropping out of high school a loss to individuals, a single high school dropout costs the nation approximately $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes, and productivity. If the students who dropped out of the Class of 2011 had graduated, the nation's economy would likely benefit from nearly $154 billion in additional income over the course of their lifetimes.

Avoiding teen pregnancy goes hand in hand with school completion. A student's primary focus is academics, along with serving on school committees, playing sports, school band performances, and building lifelong friendships. Equally important is waiting to become a parent until one is ready to be a parent, which means completing one's educational, career, and other life goals. These life achievements are critical to preparing men and women for the financial and emotional responsibilities of parenthood.

So enjoy those school days while you can. And remember, Spring is just around the corner!

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