example, english, we re learning things like how to capitalize and when to capitalize. that s things my little sister should be learning, you know? reporter: half of the 2200 students at maria s school don t pass statewide tests in reading and math. when they come to school, they come with a fourth grade reading level and behind in math. so we really have a lot of catching up to do. it s just my little sister and i. reporter: she s the sixth of seven children. all of my brothers and sisters were straight-a students. reporter: and they went from being a students to dropping out. my sister got pregnant when she was younger and like everybody was kind of just expecting me to follow into their same footsteps, you know? reporter: everybody, including her father. she overheard him two years ago at her ke15th birthday party. he was like, it s just a matter of time before she fails. reporter: fails. yeah. he was just like it doesn t really matter what she does
music back to kids. with my experiences in public schools, the arts, there s no funding for it. i think our goal is just to show kids that you can still do music. reporter: they recently played at mira s alma mater on south s south side. it is amazing how they move their hands so fast. i think i might want to do violin. you just can t realize how motivational it was. the impact will be months and months and months later on, kids will continue to talk about it. we had a lot of people saying, like, oh, i used to play, you guys inspire me. don t give it up. it doesn t even cross my mind to give it up, but it is good to hear that, that we re actually doing the right thing. reporter: cnn, chicago. will new orleans be spared record flooding? that s a question a lot of people are asking as the mississippi s floodwaters are headed that way. we ll speak leave with general russel honore who led the military s response to hurricane katrina. [ female announcer ] it s red lobster
to college you re not going to be compared to compete? yeah. i am especially with like an example english we re learning how to capitalize and when to capitalize. that s things my sister should be learning, you know. reporter: it s because more than half of the 2200 students at maria s school don t pass statewide tests in reading, math. when they come to school, they come with a fourth grade reading level and behind in math. we really have a lot of catching up to do. it s just my little sister and i. everybody is older? everybody moved out. reporter: the sixth of seven children. all of my brothers and sisters were straight a students. went from being a students to dropping out. my sister, she got pregnant when she was younger. and like everybody was kind of just expecting me to follow into their same footsteps. reporter: everybody including her father. she overheard him two years ago at her 15th birthday party. he was like, just a matter of time before she f
did not even know franklin delano roosevelt was in a wheelchair! but now it is a topic that carries a lot of political weight and one we can t get enough of, because frankly, they won t let us! so talk back question today are politicians revealing too much. facebo facebook.com/carolcnn. i ll be eager once again to read your comments. come on, carol. don t you think it makes them more appealing? there s a line! you can kind of relate i don t want to see my lawmaker half-naked. i just want them to do their jobs. even if it is a six-pack? i d rather they use this up here. that s just me, though. i m old-fashioned. i don t think you re all that old-fashioned. i can hardly wait to hear what folks have got to say about this one. it is going to be a fun one. here s what s ahead on the rundown. first we are watching the water rise. we ll have a live report from greenville, mississippi.
reporter: do you worry that when you go off to college, you not going to be prepared tom compete? yes. with example for english, we are learning how to capitalize and when to capitalize, and that is things that my little sister should be learning, you know. reporter: it is because more than half of the 2200 students at maria s school don t pass statewide tests in reading and math. when they come to school, you know, they come with the fourth grade reading level and behind in math, so we have a lot of catching up to do. it is my little sister and i and everybody has moved out. reporter: she is the sixth of seven children. all of my brothers and sisters were straight a students. reporter: and they went from a students to dropping out. my younger sister dropped out when she was pregnant, and everybody expected me to fall into their same footsteps, you know. reporter: everybody, including her father. she overheard him two years ago at her quincenetta, her 15th