Rochester K-12 education: What do I need this ‘stuff’ for anyway?

Most often the response by a student as to why he/she dropped out of school is, “What do I need this s— for anyway?” It seems to me that if we address that question, respond to that question with a well thought out solution and implementation, we will have a lot fewer kids throwing in the towel. That begs the question, why don’t we show kids professions and/or careers early on and throughout their K-12 journey? Why don’t we show them how those boring academics are connected with, or related to, the many opportunities that exist and are available to them? If we could find a way to do that, we would increase the odds of keeping kids in school and graduating with a purpose and a clear pathway to a successful post-high school education. Whether a certificate program, a college/university, or a job opportunity with additional business-sponsored training/education, it would lead to a living wage future.