Kristen Graham, education reporter for Philly.com, writes the weekly "School Link" column. A Northeast Philadelphia native and
Earlier this month, they marched up a long Convention Center aisle to cheers, applause and snapping flashes.
They are the Class of 2007 of Philadelphia Futures, the nonprofit organization that picks at-risk teenagers from city high schools and prepares them - from ninth grade - to earn college diplomas. There are mentors, tutors, and financial and emotional support.
- Gallery: Chris Wiler's Eighth Graders
Christopher Wiler would love for his students at Chester A. Arthur School to be stars in math and reading.
But the thing he wants most is for the boys and girls he has guided for six years to be ready for the real world.


