NORMAL -- Bloomington High School senior Armand Ontiveros says he has never doubted that he will graduate in spring 2010.

"I feel it's not an option in my mind," said Ontiveros, who wants to follow in his mother's footsteps to be among the first members of his family to graduate from college.

To encourage more students to see education that way, about 500 students (including Ontiveros), educators, community leaders, parents and business people gathered Tuesday at the Illinois Dropout Prevention Summit at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center. The event was part of a nationwide effort to increase the graduation rate of students.

Keynote speaker Alma Powell, chairwoman of America's Promise Alliance, stressed that helping teens graduate from high school is vital to the nation's economic future. Her organization promotes community involvement to offer that help.

"Think of yourself as a national security experts," said Powell, who co-founded the alliance with her husband, retired Gen. Colin Powell. "This is not a superlative; it is true."

Ed Rust Jr., chairman and CEO of State Farm Insurance Cos., the event sponsor, agreed with Powell in his own remarks.

"This is the biggest fight of our nation's life," Rust said. One of three students in the nation drops out of high school, and almost half minorities don't graduate, the audience was told.

"Every 26 seconds a student drops out of high school," he said.

If all the heads of households in Illinois graduated from college, $2.8 billion more would be circulating in the state economy, he added.

"This is an economic issue and a moral imperative," he said.

For inspiration, the summit attendees saw a video from America's Promise Youth Summit, an event earlier this year in Bloomington that addressed the dropout problem. In the video, teens who dropped out of high school explained why they did it.

Their reasons for quitting school included drugs, having parents in jail, health problems, pregnancy and lack of motivation. They also talked about factors that would have helped them succeed, including respect, mentors and tough love.

Thirty years ago, the United States was No. 1 in education, but now it has fallen to about 15th and the decline continues.

"Schools alone can't solve the problem. That's why we are here today," said Chris Koch, Illinois state superintendent of education.

The event, organized by America's Promise Alliance, focused on five promises the community must make to help students succeed. The community must provide: caring adults; safe places; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others at home in school and in the community.

"It takes a village. We are the village," Powell said.

Summits like the one Wednesday have become a movement leading to action, Powell said. After the inspirational speakers, participants broke into regional groups to talk about values, vision and measures of success.

Similar events have been held across the nation, especially where dropping out is in high crisis. The graduation rate for Detroit high schools, for example, is only 37 percent, but United Way is giving $10 million to help change that, she said.

An Illinois Wesleyan University student missed Powell's address because she was mentoring elementary school children, but she arrived on time to take part in the workshops. "We need (caring) adults in our life," said Karin Unrih.

While there are extreme challenges, "there are some really wonderful things going on," Powell said.

Today she is going to recognize Pepper Ridge Elementary School in Normal as a school where promises to students are being fulfilled.

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Dropout rates

Shown are dropout rates, by high school, according to 2009 Illinois state report cards. The state dropout rate is 3.5 percent.

High school...School rate...District rate...School enrollment

Bloomington...1.8%...1.8%...1482

Normal Comm....2.9%...2.4%...1834

Normal West...1.8%...2.4%...1682

Pontiac...1.6%...1.6%...860

Lincoln...4.0%...4.0%...889

Clinton...3.8%...3.8%...586

Olympia (Stanford)...1.5%...1.5%...605

Tri Valley (Downs)...0%...0%...330

Prairie Central (Fairbury)...2.5%...2.5...649