LatinaLista — May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a time focused on encouraging young girls to be smart about not getting pregnant. Yet, for those girls who have gotten pregnant and are raising their children, there is not nearly the necessary attention on these girls to do another smart thing — get a college or technical degree.
Being a teen mom poses unique challenges, even with family support. For a girl to want to go to college, the challenges increase to a point that these young, single moms are sometimes forced to make difficult decisions about staying in school. For the girls who are lucky enough to be a part of the Washington, D.C.-based Generation Hope, it’s a decision they don’t have to make.
Started in March 2010 by a former teen mother enrolled in college who experienced first-hand the benefits of getting her degree, Generation Hope provides the type of support these young mothers need to stay in college. Pairing teen moms with individuals who can mentor and counsel them while sponsor organizations provide the financial help needed, Generation Hope has one simple goal:
Every teen parent from Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia will receive emotional and financial support to help them complete college, pursue a successful career, and establish a stable and productive life for themselves and for their children.
We believe education is the best promise for teen parents to achieve stable and successful futures and consistent financial and emotional support increases the likelihood that they will graduate. When teen mothers and fathers earn college degrees, their children are less likely to live in poverty, and our communities are strengthened — Generation Hope staff.
