Program Aims To Keep Pregnant And Parenting Teens In High School Through Graduation

Pregnant And Parenting Teens

The goals of Future Promises are being met through two main objectives: the educational component, which provides weekly prenatal, parenting and pregnancy prevention classes during school hours; and the case management component, which identifies and helps to solve social or academic concerns that may prevent the participants from graduating from high school.

Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, in partnership with other community agencies, has been working to support these young, pregnant or parenting women and men through the highly successful Future Promises program.

The challenge high school offers to students is well documented. The pressure to perform academically, peer pressure, work and other distractions make an already difficult situation harder. Imagine having all of these concerns and also being pregnant or being a young parent. It's a situation facing many high school-aged young women and young men in Marion County.

By providing expecting and parenting high school age moms and dads the support they need, they can graduate from high school and pursue their education or career goals

On May 19, Health and Hospital will honor 46 Future Promises participants who will be graduating from their respective high schools this year. More than 120 pregnant and parenting teens are involved in the Future Promises program sites at North Central, Pike and Warren Central high schools. 'Nearly half of our graduating seniors have been accepted and plan to attend such colleges as Indiana University, Indiana State University, Ivy Tech, Ball State University, IUPUI, Vincennes University, Indiana Business College, Tennessee State University and Jackson State University,' said Wanda Spann Roddy, Director of the Future Promises program.

One sign of success for the Future Promises program can be found in the goals the program graduates have established for themselves once they leave high school. The common thread uniting the program graduates is a desire to become self-sufficient and provide for their family. Nursing, cosmetology, law, social work and construction are among career choices identified by the graduating class of 2007. Another sign of success is that Future Promises has a 92 percent graduation rate for its senior class participants and a 78 percent school retention rate for all program participants.

Highlighting the May 19 graduation program will be recognition of the Crystal Jonea Ne'Col Young Achievement Award for Young Mothers award winner. The award is offered annually to a graduating senior who has participated in the Future Promises program for at least two years. The winner must excel academically and have maintained an outstanding school attendance record following the birth of their child. The award honors Crystal Young, a 2005 North Central High School student, mother of two and Future Promises program participant who died in October of 2005. The award serves as a lasting remainder to the strength and determination characterizing Crystal Jonea Ne'Col Young's life. The honor also provides a resource to support deserving teenage parenting and pregnant high school students who desire to create a better life for their family through higher education.

Other awards will be presented at the graduation ceremony including the student from each high school with the highest grade point average and the best school attendance. Angela Green, Deputy Director, Indiana Department of Child Services, and member of the Health and Hospital Corporation Board of Trustees, will provide the keynote presentation.