To the students at Dohn Community High School in Walnut Hills, Ohio, attending school is like going to work.

“Every kid wakes up in the morning [thinking] ‘this is a job, why am I not getting paid?’ and we’re getting paid now,” said Bethanie Nicholson, a senior at Dohn Community High School. (CNN)

Nicholson is a single mom, and she says that this added motivation will help her life, and keep her coming to school.

Students who are on time every day, avoid trouble and show they're working in class will get Visa money cards worth $25 for seniors and $10 for younger students.

The school principal, Ramon Davenport, decided to pay students for attending school in order to increase attendance and to help get the kids off of the streets.

“This is a community program, so if they are out here just hanging out on the streets, we want to encourage them to come to school,” said Davenport. (CNN)

The principal acknowledges critics but he says that it is an attempt to help students and motivate them to come to school when grades are not enough of an incentive.

Also, $5 from the initial amount will be submitted into a savings account that can be opened when the students graduate.

“At least when the kids graduate, they will be able to do so with some type of funds,” said Davenport. (CNN)

The total funding for this will cost an estimated $40,000 this year.