Posted on: Saturday, August 18, 2001

Church attendance may help poorer teens succeed in school

USA Today

Attending church helps poorer teens do well in class, but it doesn't have much effect on the schoolwork of middle-class teens, suggests a national study to be released tomorrow.

The study found the poorer the neighborhood, the stronger the link between youngsters going to worship services and doing well at school.

But it's not the sermons that motivate low-income kids to study and behave in school, says study co-author and Calvin College sociologist Mark Regnerus

It's the people at church who make the difference, Regnerus says. Religious communities emphasize and reward socially acceptable behavior, which encourages keeping up in school, he says.

Regnerus speculates that church attendance is not as important for middle-class teens because their communities have good schools, civic and recreation groups and low unemployment, which help teens stay on track. Also, churches in poor areas often have a strong sense of community and often provide services that help kids stay in school, experts say.