Monday, April 29, 2013

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Kentucky's Appalachian Challenge Academy offers dropouts a chance to complete school
The Courier-Journal, Harlan, KY – April 27, 2013
After dropping out of high school in Clay County, David Bowling spent his days smoking pot, abusing pills and avoiding a troubled home — all the while edging closer to a dead-end future in a corner of Appalachia where jobs are scarce.  But today, the 17-year-old has a buzz cut and a pair of fatigues and rises at 5 a.m. in a spartan, military-style bunk dorm at the foot of a mountainside.

Biloxi schools making graduation a mission
Sun Herald, Biloxi, MS – April 24, 2013
Biloxi High senior Antonio Barnes dreams of seeing his name in lights one day.  Graduation isn't an option for him, he said. It's a requirement to reach his goal.  Community leaders, students and school officials have formed a task force aimed at seeing every Biloxi senior walk in the graduation procession.

Houston High to celebrate 1,000th graduate
MyPlainview.com, Houston, TX – April 27, 2013
Houston High School reached a major milestone on April 11 when 17-year-old Antonio Espinoza, son of Roland and Norica Rodriguez, became the campus’s 1,000th graduate.  Houston High School was established as an alternative campus in 1999 to meet the needs of students who are identified as “at risk” and struggling to complete coursework in a traditional school setting.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile-justice reforms set to hit high gear in Georgia
The Florida Times-Union, Atlanta, GA – April 27, 2013
Even before Gov. Nathan Deal signs a comprehensive juvenile-justice bill into law this week in Dalton, state and local governments have begun putting the pieces into place.  After seven years of effort by lawyers, advocates and legislators, reforms are on the way to becoming law that will fundamentally change how delinquent children are handled.

Proposed overhaul of Nebraska's juvenile justice system is advanced
Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska – April 23, 2013
The cornerstone bill of a proposed overhaul of Nebraska's juvenile justice system was given first-round approval Tuesday by state lawmakers.  "We have … come to a critical point in time and cannot wait to enact meaningful juvenile justice reform," said Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha. "What we have now is simply not working."

Big Brothers Big Sisters Program Taking on Court-Referred Juveniles
ABC KCRG, Cedar Rapids, IA – April 24, 2013
The national Big Brothers Big Sisters organization is reaching out to kids already in legal trouble. And the Cedar Rapids-East Central Iowa chapter is joining that effort by now accepting kids referred by juvenile courts.  Charles Pierson, CEO of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, came to Cedar Rapids on Wednesday to announce the local effort to help juveniles in legal trouble.

Foster Care

KidsPeace Launches Online Resource for Foster Care Teens
The Paramus Post, Paramus, NJ – April 24, 2013
New portal goes live for National Foster Care Awareness Month with anonymous counseling to aid teens with unique issues.  To kick-off National Foster Care Awareness Month next month, KidsPeace today launched a new web portal to provide foster care teens with a dedicated online resource to discuss and cope with issues relevant to their unique experiences.

Teen Pregnancy

Austin presentation aims to lower teen pregnancy
NBC KTTC, Austin, MN – April 23, 2013
Teen pregnancy rates in southeastern Minnesota are among the highest in the state.  And to help shed light on the issue, a married couple from the Twin Cities will speak at Austin High School on Wednesday about preventing teen pregnancy.

Strong Latino support for sex education and birth control, says new poll
NBC Latino – April 25, 2013
Nine out of ten Hispanics think sex education should be taught in the nation’s high schools and middle schools, and almost 90 percent say teen pregnancy prevention is as important as doing well in school, says a  new national poll of over 1,000 Latinos over the age of 18.  Moreover, more than half of those polled thought avoiding teen pregnancy is even  more important for Latino teens than other groups.

Monday, April 22, 2013

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

“Comeback kid” program targets dropouts
NBC Latino, Sacramento, CA – April 21, 2013
Karissa Aguila dropped out of high school during her senior year, and said Thursday the decision marked one of her biggest regrets.  “I was pregnant at 17,” Aguila said. “I was almost done, so close — and I just quit. I shouldn’t have.”  In Stanislaus County, the high school dropout rate is 14 percent.  A new program to help dropouts, called Comeback Kid, targets young adults, ages 18 to 22.

Beshear defends plan to reward school districts that raise dropout age
Kentucky.com, Frankfort, KY – April 15, 2013
Gov. Steve Beshear defended a plan to give $10,000 grants to more than 50 school districts if they increase their dropout ages from 16 to 18 in coming months.  "I think it's money well spent," Beshear told reporters Monday during a news conference on an unrelated topic.

Black male graduation rates improving
Bakersfield Californian, Bakersfield, CA – April 20, 2013
It looked like a commencement exercise, the rows of black male teens in neckties or sweater vests and neatly creased slacks.  One by one they rose as Project BEST scholarship committee chairwoman Fuschsia Ward called out their names, grouped by school, and announced where they had been accepted to college. Then she handed them checks as beaming parents cheered.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice reforms: worth the wait
Baltimore Sun, Maryland – April 16, 2013
As the legislative session closed last week, I was happy to see that we made great progress on behalf of Maryland's children. We made strides in health, child welfare and education. However, one of the standout accomplishments was in juvenile justice.

Proposal would keep 17-year-old felons in juvenile court
The State Journal-Register, Illinois – April 16, 2013
Youths under the age of 18 charged with non-violent felonies will be handled at the juvenile court level, rather than being tried as adults, under a proposal passed by the Illinois House Tuesday.

Foster Care

Housing for Youths Aging out of Foster Care Receives LIHTC Investment
Apartment Finance Today, Indiana – April 19, 2013
Great Lakes Capital Fund announced that it is investing $6 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity to help finance the building of a 36-unit development for young adults in need in Fort Wayne, Ind.  The Courtyard of Fort Wayne will provide housing for youths aging out of foster care and homeless youths. An estimated 226 youths between 18 and 21 years old aged out of the foster-care system in the area's Allen County alone last year.

Teen Pregnancy

NYC Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program Keeps Youths on Track
Voice of America, New York, NY – April 19, 2013
Each year, about 750,000 American girls under the age of 20 become pregnant. It’s one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the industrialized West. New York City's rate is especially high: more than 20,000 teenagers become pregnant each year. For those who keep their baby - more than half of teen moms around the country - the decision often leads to dropping out of school, unemployment and poverty.

Monday, April 15, 2013

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

State's high school graduation rate up, dropout rate down
Los Angeles Times, California – April 9, 2013
State officials Tuesday reported slight improvements in dropout and graduation rates and continued gains made by Latino and African American students.  Overall, the state dropout rate declined by 1.5 percentage points to 13.2% for the class of 2012, when compared to the class of 2011. For Latinos, the improvement was 2.1 percentage points; for African Americans, it was 3.1%.

Man helps Dubuque high school dropouts 'bulldoze' problems away, complete degrees
The Republic, Dubuque, IA – April 15, 2013
Tom Kershner jokes that his office is a beat-up white Jeep.  Portability is key for the man who has the "doglike task" of finding Dubuque's dropouts, ages 16 to 21, and convincing them to enter alternative and/or post-secondary education.

Arlington School Targets High School Dropouts
NBC 5, Arlington, TX – April 8, 2013
The Arlington school district aims to graduate 100 percent of its students.  A new Arlington Independent School District school targets students who have already dropped out or are on the verge of it and helps them get their diplomas.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice reforms approved
The Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach County, FL – April 12, 2013
Sparked by a Palm Beach County jail death, the Florida House unanimously passed a bill protecting teens from abuse by staff in lock-ups run by the Department of Juvenile Justice – but for many advocates, the Legislature should be putting more protections in place.  The Dream Defenders, a youth group focused on juvenile justice issues, called this week for protection from arrests at school for minor incidents.

Nebraska lawmakers studying New Jersey's juvenile detention program
Press of Atlantic City, New Jersey – April 11, 2013
New Jersey’s successful juvenile detention program is being studied by a delegation from Nebraska this week.  Legislators, court representatives, probation and juvenile detention workers, along with law enforcement and community organizations are attending a two-day working session focusing on statewide implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.

Foster Care

Legislature focuses on foster care age out children
KVNO News, Lincoln, NE – April 9, 2013
When young people age out of the foster care system at age 19, unless they’re going to college full time, they’re generally on their own. And considering they’ve come from backgrounds where the state has removed them from their own families’ homes because of problems there, that can set them up for trouble.  Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill wants to address that.

Bill Extending Age For Foster Care Kids Clears Another Committee
WSFU, Florida – April 10, 2013
Florida lawmakers are hoping to make kids who age out of the foster care system self-sufficient when they go out on their own. A bill that aims to do just that passed with bipartisan support Wednesday in a House budget panel.

Foster-care initiative to ease shift to life on own
The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio – April 11, 2013
A new partnership between the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters is bringing together caseworkers, employment counselors and mentors to help teens and young adults who are moving from foster care to independent living.

Teen Pregnancy

Skelton bill focuses on teen pregnancy prevention
Independent Mail, Anderson, South Carolina – April 13, 2013
State Rep. B.R. Skelton is sponsoring a House bill that would hold local school boards accountable for educating high school students about pregnancy prevention. The change would be the first major update in South Carolina’s Comprehensive Health Education Act in 25 years.

Monday, April 08, 2013

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Tuning in to dropouts: District aims to find out why kids quit and how to get them back
The New Mexican, Santa Fe, NM – April 6, 2013
One dropped out of high school to take care of his ailing mother. Another said he left to work so he could support his new baby.  One said he had too much freedom in school and was not offered enough choices.

Pitsenbarger displays strong sense of community
Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, OH – April 7, 2013
Piqua High School educator Joyce Pitsenbarger saves students. The teacher for the school's Novanet program is the last chance for some at-risk kids to get a high school diploma.

Legislators focusing on education reforms
News-Record, Raleigh, NC – April 7, 2013
This may prove a watershed year for education in North Carolina, with the state’s Republican legislative majority rolling out bills that could bring comprehensive reform.  House Bill 235 would raise the high school dropout age from 16 to 18, unless the student’s parents consent, take part in a counseling session and sign a form that lays out the consequences of leaving school early.

Juvenile Justice

Justice for all, including juveniles: Catherine 'Kitty' Kimball
The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA – April 7, 2013
I have spent the past two decades serving on the Louisiana Supreme Court. During that time, I have made juvenile justice reform a priority.  I'm proud to say that the reform initiatives recently announced by Gov. Bobby Jindal are a huge step in that direction. The governor has promised to propose initiatives in the upcoming legislative session to reform the Families in Need of Services program -- to address the needs of at-risk youth before they enter the court system -- and to apply an integrated case-management system across all departments that deal with our youth.

Foster Care

Youth aging out of foster care system would receive help under bill
Nebraska Radio Network, Nebraska – April 5, 2013
Youth forced out of the state foster care system would receive extra assistance in their transition into adulthood under a bill moving forward in the legislature.  Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln tells colleagues during legislative floor debate the bill arises out of the failure of the current state system.  “We’re debating this bill, because we have children who come out of the system and they end up in homeless shelters,” Coash says. “We have to talk about this bill, because when children come out of this system they’re ill-prepared to work, they’re ill-prepared to live independently, they’re ill-prepared to deal with substance abuse.”

Georgia Program Reopens Foster Care Cold Cases
Youth Today, Atlanta, GA – April 8, 2013
In far north Georgia, 17-year-old “Brandon” lives in a group home. He has been the ward of two states in his short life. Put up for adoption in Tennessee, adopted, then abandoned in Georgia. He’s been in foster care for eight years.

Giving Florida’s foster kids a chance to live a ‘normal’ life
Star-Banner, Florida – April 7, 2013
For Florida kids in foster care — and the foster parents, guardians and attorneys who advocate for their lives and futures — the word “normal” is not in their vocabulary.  However, both the Florida House and Senate have passed bills that will help eliminate some restrictions and reporting requirements that prevent foster children from enjoying normal activities like other kids. It now awaits Gov. Rick Scott’s expected signature to become law.

Teen Pregnancy

Judge Strikes Down Age Limits on Morning-After Pill
The New York Times, New York, NY – April 5, 2013
A federal judge on Friday ordered that the most common morning-after pill be made available over the counter for all ages, instead of requiring a prescription for girls 16 and younger. But his acidly worded decision raises a broader question about whether a cabinet secretary can decide on a drug’s availability for reasons other than its safety and effectiveness.

Monday, April 01, 2013

This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

House Approves New Approach to High School Graduation
The Texas Tribune, Texas – March 26, 2013
The challenge of finding balance between rigor and flexibility in graduation requirements dominated Tuesday’s debate over legislation that would significantly change the courses students need for a high school diploma. The measure tentatively passed the Texas House.

Reducing number of high school diplomas proposed
The Advocate, Louisiana – March 26, 2013
Reopening a volatile topic, state Superintendent of Education John White said he wants to consider eliminating one of Louisiana’s three high school diplomas.  The move is driven in part by a new push to aid students who want to pursue a career after high school rather than seeking a four-year college degree.

Stay in School initiative promotes daily attendance in Springfield public schools
The Republican, Massachusetts – March 25, 2013
A new community initiative launched by the Springfield Public Schools encourages students to go to school everyday and earn a high school diploma.  The program was launched on Monday at the newly constructed Putnam Vocational Technical Academy.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice overhaul adopted
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia – March 25, 2013
Major changes are coming to how the state treats juveniles who get in trouble with the law under legislation that received final passage Monday.  House Bill 242 is now on its way to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk. The governor has indicated he supports it.

Rehabilitated life, reformed juvenile system
Citizensvoice.com, Luzerne County, PA – March 31, 2013
Adam Fredmund's story is one of rehabilitation and redemption and not just his own.  Anyone wondering whether Luzerne County's juvenile justice system has recovered from the dishonest and dysfunctional days of the kids-for-cash scandal can take heart from Fredmund's journey through that system.

Report suggest changes for juvenile justice health services
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia – March 25, 2013
A recent review of medical services provided to youths by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice found care adequate but makes numerous recommendations.

Foster Care

New program to provide jobs for foster-care youths in Orlando
Orlando Sentinel, Florida – March 26, 2013
For scores of Central Florida foster teens who turn 18 each year, aging out of the state's custody means no place to live, no job, no drivers license and no transportation.  That's why local nonprofit agencies are teaming with foster-care officials to get them the internships and job-mentoring programs that are typically a rite of passage for other kids.

Foster care bill would give kids more freedom
The Miami Herald, Tallahassee, FL – March 27, 2013
Martin Gordon, 19, came to the Capitol to tell legislators his experiences in the foster care system hoping that his voice — and the voices of 26 other current and former foster care children — would make a difference. On Wednesday, they got their answer.  The Florida Senate passed a bill 38-0 eliminating many of the restrictions that keep foster children from participating in normal activities, like a field trip, sleepover, sporting event, vacation or even a trip to the beach.

Missouri senators pass bill to let kids rejoin foster care
KCTV, Kansas City, MO – March 26, 2013
When children leave the nest, they usually have a safety net to fall back on - mom and dad.  But for those in Missouri's foster system, they often have no one.  A proposed Senate bill would allow children who chose to leave the foster care system at 18 to return and stay until they're 21.

Teen Pregnancy

Official says sustained prevention effort needed to impact teen pregnancy rates
The Times and Democrat, Bamberg County, SC – March 26, 2013
While Bamberg County follows the statewide trend of a declining teen birth rate from 2010 to 2011, the fact remains that South Carolina has the 11th-highest teen birth rate in the nation.  Orangeburg and Calhoun counties have actually seen a teen birth rate increase over the same time period.  Officials says there’s much work to do to tackle this problem.  “We see Bamberg County trending in the right direction.”