not to go all social-worker on y'all

but i started mentoring this kid from dunbar high school
he's pretty smart, but his grades and attitude to school/life really do not reflect this
i'm definitely coming from a completely different mind-set so
its hard for me to understand an attitude of 'i dont care, life is not guaranteed. school is pointless <-- this breaks my drph heart'
at that time, i felt it was moreso because there had been six (i think) murders around monument
and so it was just an entire conversation about how life is not worth shit.
its one person, i know... but it makes me wonder how many young people look around their neighbourhood
and their conclusion is what's the point
and when the school system really sucks its even hard to 'find' examples of academic success

so how does one deal with this- from a micro level, im not trying to change an entire neighbourhood
but i would love to see more bmore city kids getting into hopkins.
and i would like to be able to have a conversation in which i feel i can address some of this,
instead of sitting there being like wtf, kid?