One of the most important things we do at Edison is to prepare our students for life after high school. Our criteria for measuring our students' success is:

• Graduation from high school and
• Attending a post-secondary institution or
• Working full- or part-time

All students who receive their diplomas from Thomas A. Edison High School receive career/vocational awareness and college guidance through our Transitions Program. As part of the Transitions Program, every student is required to take two courses at Portland Community College during his or her senior year at Edison. One is a study skills course designed to help incoming college students; the second course can be any elective of the student's choice.

Edison students also commit to contributing a number of service learning hours each year (15 hours for new students, 20 hours for returning students). Students choose their own areas of service, and submit a paper or PowerPoint reflecting on the experience. Service learning encourages the development of empathy, responsibility, problem-solving skills and good citizenship. It also provides our teens with valuable understanding of real world issues, while helping them gain self-discipline, social skills and work experience-all of which will serve them well in their years after Edison.