Education
Tackle dropout rate one at-risk student at a time
Shreveport Times, Louisiana – October 29, 2011
Cutting Louisiana's high school dropout rate is a cause with many supporters, but even more are needed. Every resident should attack the sources that result in one out of six students dropping out each year — their actions affecting not only the student but the state's future prosperity.
EDUCATION: Battle on to increase graduation, college-going rates
The Press-Enterprise, Inland Empire, CA – October 30, 2011
A generation ago, a high school degree was enough to land a decent-paying job at the local steel mill or aerospace plant and gain entry to the middle class. In the years since, the job market has evolved into one that requires more brain power and less muscle.
Three of Four Students Not Prepared for College, City Says
The New York Times, New York, NY – October 24, 2011
Three quarters of New York City students who were high school freshmen in 2006 did not leave high school prepared for college, new data from the city Education Department shows. Still, of the students in that cohort, about 46 percent had enrolled in a two or four-year college by late 2010. CUNY's START program provides remediation for students who did not pass the reading, writing and math placement exams.
Juvenile Justice
Senate Takes on Juvenile Justice Reforms
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL – October 29, 2011
Some of the same accountability measures that were introduced in public K-12 schools over the last decade are coming to the state's juvenile justice facilities. Under a proposed law (SPB 7016) that will be considered Wednesday in a Senate education committee, school districts and the private companies involved in educating youth in the state's detention centers, residential treatment facilities and prevention programs would be subjected to a three-tier performance rating, from "failing" to "high performance."
Juvenile Justice – Governor Mead Calls For Changes
K2 Radio, Casper, WY – October 28, 2011
Changes to juvenile justice law won’t likely come during the next legislative session, that from Governor, Matt Mead, who is expected at the dedication of a new juvenile detention center in Casper Saturday. Mead says he wants a plan for the future that is state-based and works with alternatives already in use by some prosecutors in the state. He sites practices in Natrona County that he says are providing alternatives to incarceration, “and rather than detaining them, getting them back in school, getting them education, and moving forward.
Five regional counties look at ways to improve juvenile justice systems
The Kansas City Star, Kansas – October 23, 2011
A national group that helped Missouri counties put fewer children in juvenile detention is turning its attention to Kansas. Jackson County officials credit the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative with cutting juvenile detention by about two-thirds over the past five years.
Foster Care
New group offers help for foster care ‘age outs’
The North Wind, Michigan – October 28, 2011
What started as a concerned student meeting with an adviser led to the group’s formation over the summer. This fall marked the beginning of S.O.S. Networking for Success, a new student group on Northern’s campus. S.O.S. Networking for Success is a student organization that provides mentoring and social networking for independent students at Northern Michigan University. “We invite first generation students, young single parents, students that have been in the foster care system and any others who lack a family support system,” said S.O.S. founder Cassandra Evers.
Project tries to help foster kids who turn 18 and leave system
Radio Iowa, Iowa – October 25, 2011
A new project in eastern Iowa aims to smooth the transition for foster children who age out of the system. Organizers of “Bridging the Gap” will meet today with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley to discuss the program. Grassley, who co-founded and is co-chairman of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, says thousands of foster kids nationwide are falling through cracks in the system.
Exclusive: A rough ride into adulthood
News-Press, Florida – October 24, 2011
Earlier this month, 15 teenagers in foster care gathered in a room dotted with inspirational messages and portraits of ubersuccessful people, such as Oprah Winfrey and the president. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" asked the speaker who had been talking to them about preparing a resume.
Teen Pregnancy
City program tackles rising teen pregnancy rate
Medille Reports, Illinois – October 27, 2011
Despite a steady decade-long decline in teen birth rates in the U.S., rates have risen in Illinois. Illinois ranks 18th in the country for teen birth rates with a rate of 60.0 per 1,000 teens, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, compared with the U.S. rate of 56.8.
Researchers study link between teen pregnancy, poverty
The Daily O’Collegian, Oklahoma – October 24, 2011
Social service providers in the Tulsa area have asked researchers from The Oklahoma State University Center of Family Resilience to help end poverty and teen pregnancy. The study is part of the Tulsa Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, which is joined by multiple social service organizations.
Girls, Inc. to open new teen pregnancy help centers in Frayser
WMC TV, Memphis, TN – October 25, 2011
A community in a pregnancy crisis is getting some help. Tuesday, Girls, Inc. announced the opening of two new pregnancy help centers in Frayser. Deborah Hester-Harrison, President of Girl's Incorporated, said the new after-school centers would will allow her organization to do more in the battle against teen pregnancy.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
Teacher uses experience as dropout to help at-risk students
Standard-Examiner, Ogden, UT – October 17, 2011
When Cassie Cox dropped out of high school in 1992, all she saw were dead ends. Now, 19 years later, she inspires the at-risk students at Two Rivers High School to reach for the stars. She credits her life change to one major thing: education.
New PSAs, Microsite Aim to Keep Teens in School
AdAge – October 18, 2011
The U.S. Army and the Ad Council are introducing new PSAs in their Boost Up campaign encouraging students ages 9 to 17 to stay in school. The TV, radio, print, outdoor and online work was produced pro bono by Publicis, New York. The effort targets friends, parents and adult influencers of at-risk students, directing them to go to www.BoostUp.org to learn about dropout rates, the challenges of staying in school until graduation and how to get involved with students or classroom projects in their communities.
Educators work to reach kids during 'pivotal years'
The Tennessean, Tennessee – October 17, 2011
Reforming high schools was Tennessee’s last big effort. State lawmakers revamped credit and testing requirements while local districts opened special wings for freshmen, grouped sophomores by career interest and touted online classes to pull more seniors across the finish line.
Juvenile Justice
Justice & Defense Departments Provide $20 Million to Support Military Children and Families
Joining Forces – October 17, 2011
On Friday, I was honored to join General Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and Dr. Jill Biden, the Second Lady of the United States – and a proud Blue Star mom – at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s National Conference, “Children’s Justice & Safety: Unite, Build, Lead.” During this three-day conference, more than 2,500 juvenile justice practitioners and experts gathered to reflect upon and redouble current efforts to build a brighter, more secure, and more just future for our nation’s young people.
Foster Care
Youth program gains statewide recognition
Times-Standard, Humboldt County, CA – October 23, 2011
The Humboldt County Transition Age Youth Collaboration program is being recognized by a statewide organization for innovation in county government. The merit award was given by the California State Association of Counties, which presents a small number of Challenge and Merit Awards each year. The program was one of nine merit awardees chosen from more than 250 entries. ”The name of this awards program has never been more appropriate,” said Paul McIntosh, the association's executive director. “The 2011 Challenge and Merit Awards exemplify the amazing spirit and commitment of our counties and the dedicated individuals who provide the vital services that 38 million Californians depend on every day.”
Teen Pregnancy
Grant Money Used to Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy
CBS 47, Fresno, CA – October 21, 2011
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money will be used to help prevent teenage pregnancies in the Valley. Sarah Villa got pregnant when she was just 16-years-old. "You know I was in shock that it happened to me. I was a straight 'A' student, so it was a difficult thing for our family," said Villa. She says too many teenagers think it won't happen to them.
Grant to Examine and Reduce High Incidence of American Indian Teen Pregnancy
Indian Country Today Media Network, South Dakota – October 18, 2011
Teen pregnancy rates among American Indians in South Dakota exceed the rest of the state’s population by four times, reported the Rapid City Journal. Sanford Research and the University of South Dakota (USD) have been awarded a $1.5 million grant to address related issues and lower the rate of pregnant American Indian teens.
Teacher uses experience as dropout to help at-risk students
Standard-Examiner, Ogden, UT – October 17, 2011
When Cassie Cox dropped out of high school in 1992, all she saw were dead ends. Now, 19 years later, she inspires the at-risk students at Two Rivers High School to reach for the stars. She credits her life change to one major thing: education.
New PSAs, Microsite Aim to Keep Teens in School
AdAge – October 18, 2011
The U.S. Army and the Ad Council are introducing new PSAs in their Boost Up campaign encouraging students ages 9 to 17 to stay in school. The TV, radio, print, outdoor and online work was produced pro bono by Publicis, New York. The effort targets friends, parents and adult influencers of at-risk students, directing them to go to www.BoostUp.org to learn about dropout rates, the challenges of staying in school until graduation and how to get involved with students or classroom projects in their communities.
Educators work to reach kids during 'pivotal years'
The Tennessean, Tennessee – October 17, 2011
Reforming high schools was Tennessee’s last big effort. State lawmakers revamped credit and testing requirements while local districts opened special wings for freshmen, grouped sophomores by career interest and touted online classes to pull more seniors across the finish line.
Juvenile Justice
Justice & Defense Departments Provide $20 Million to Support Military Children and Families
Joining Forces – October 17, 2011
On Friday, I was honored to join General Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and Dr. Jill Biden, the Second Lady of the United States – and a proud Blue Star mom – at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s National Conference, “Children’s Justice & Safety: Unite, Build, Lead.” During this three-day conference, more than 2,500 juvenile justice practitioners and experts gathered to reflect upon and redouble current efforts to build a brighter, more secure, and more just future for our nation’s young people.
Foster Care
Youth program gains statewide recognition
Times-Standard, Humboldt County, CA – October 23, 2011
The Humboldt County Transition Age Youth Collaboration program is being recognized by a statewide organization for innovation in county government. The merit award was given by the California State Association of Counties, which presents a small number of Challenge and Merit Awards each year. The program was one of nine merit awardees chosen from more than 250 entries. ”The name of this awards program has never been more appropriate,” said Paul McIntosh, the association's executive director. “The 2011 Challenge and Merit Awards exemplify the amazing spirit and commitment of our counties and the dedicated individuals who provide the vital services that 38 million Californians depend on every day.”
Teen Pregnancy
Grant Money Used to Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy
CBS 47, Fresno, CA – October 21, 2011
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money will be used to help prevent teenage pregnancies in the Valley. Sarah Villa got pregnant when she was just 16-years-old. "You know I was in shock that it happened to me. I was a straight 'A' student, so it was a difficult thing for our family," said Villa. She says too many teenagers think it won't happen to them.
Grant to Examine and Reduce High Incidence of American Indian Teen Pregnancy
Indian Country Today Media Network, South Dakota – October 18, 2011
Teen pregnancy rates among American Indians in South Dakota exceed the rest of the state’s population by four times, reported the Rapid City Journal. Sanford Research and the University of South Dakota (USD) have been awarded a $1.5 million grant to address related issues and lower the rate of pregnant American Indian teens.
Monday, October 17, 2011
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
Hispanic agency targets high school dropouts
Poughkeepsie Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY – October 12, 2011
Kids need support in school and at home to reduce the dropout rate of Hispanic high school students. Bernice Rodriguez-Morton, president of the Association of Hispanics to Obtain Resources, said family involvement and early intervention are key factors that can help reduce the dropout rate.
Education program for high school drop-outs launched
Petoskey News, Petoskey, MI – October 12, 2011
A federally funded program to pay at-risk youth to educate themselves is in the works in northwest Lower Michigan. The YouthBuild program of Northwest Michigan Works! is intended to serve high school drop-outs with social or economic disadvantages by helping them achieve a GED and additional career training.
Grant helps KACV-TV tackle high school dropout crisis
Connect Amarillo, Amarillo, TX – October 12, 2011
One in five adults in Amarillo does not have a high school diploma. That's a fact KACV-TV is now working to change. Earlier in the summer, KACV received one of 41 nationwide American Graduate Community Engagement Grants to help raise awareness about what some would call the "dropout crisis".
Juvenile Justice
Young Offenders Get Second Chance
LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch, Lake Elsinore, CA – October 16, 2011
The Elsinore Valley Youth Court Diversion Program gives young offenders a second chance to learn from their mistakes before their cases are referred to the Juvenile Court System.
Results instead of revenge: A new plan for juvenile justice
Vanderbilt University News – October 13, 2011
The struggle against juvenile crime may come down to one simple question, says a Vanderbilt University researcher: Do we want revenge or do we want results? If we want results, says Christopher Slobogin, the Milton Underwood Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University Law School, we should dramatically reform the system to stress community-based treatment over incarceration.
Foster Care
New Law Protects Foster Children From Identity Theft
Fox News, Providence, RI – October 9, 2011
Dee Saint Franc left the Rhode Island foster care system eager to start life on her own. But when she tried sign up for cable and Internet at Verizon, she learned that breaking free from her past wouldn't be easy.
Program helps foster kids take next step
9News, Kusa, CO – October 9, 2011
It's a tough time for people out of work to find a job, regardless of age. Though some, particularly adults in their 20's and 30's are living with their parents when they can't pay the bills, that isn't an option for most kids who grew up in the Foster system. That's where Forward Steps can help.
Teen Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy rate down in Milwaukee
WHBL, Milwaukee, WI – October 12, 2011
Fewer kids are having kids in Milwaukee for the second year in a row. City officials said almost 36 of every 1,000-teenagers had babies last year. That’s 5.6-less than in 2009 – when a similar drop was reported. The teen birth rate was as high as 52-per-thousand in 2006, and it brought Milwaukee some unwanted national attention. Three years ago, the city and its United Way joined forces to attack the problem.
DC Leaders Focus on Teen Pregnancy
MyFoxDC, Washington, DC – October 11, 2011
Did you know 60 percent of all pregnancies in the District are not planned? And public officials say many of those are involving teenagers in D.C.
'Put pregnancy on pause,' event urges Spartanburg teenagers
GoUpstate, Spartanburg County, SC – October 16, 2011
For 57.3 seconds, teens and college students paused in place as screens ticked off the time. The seconds represented the number of infants, 573, born in 2009 to teens ages 15 through 19, in Spartanburg County. That was just one statistic revealed at an event called PAUSE for a PURPOSE.
Hispanic agency targets high school dropouts
Poughkeepsie Journal, Poughkeepsie, NY – October 12, 2011
Kids need support in school and at home to reduce the dropout rate of Hispanic high school students. Bernice Rodriguez-Morton, president of the Association of Hispanics to Obtain Resources, said family involvement and early intervention are key factors that can help reduce the dropout rate.
Education program for high school drop-outs launched
Petoskey News, Petoskey, MI – October 12, 2011
A federally funded program to pay at-risk youth to educate themselves is in the works in northwest Lower Michigan. The YouthBuild program of Northwest Michigan Works! is intended to serve high school drop-outs with social or economic disadvantages by helping them achieve a GED and additional career training.
Grant helps KACV-TV tackle high school dropout crisis
Connect Amarillo, Amarillo, TX – October 12, 2011
One in five adults in Amarillo does not have a high school diploma. That's a fact KACV-TV is now working to change. Earlier in the summer, KACV received one of 41 nationwide American Graduate Community Engagement Grants to help raise awareness about what some would call the "dropout crisis".
Juvenile Justice
Young Offenders Get Second Chance
LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch, Lake Elsinore, CA – October 16, 2011
The Elsinore Valley Youth Court Diversion Program gives young offenders a second chance to learn from their mistakes before their cases are referred to the Juvenile Court System.
Results instead of revenge: A new plan for juvenile justice
Vanderbilt University News – October 13, 2011
The struggle against juvenile crime may come down to one simple question, says a Vanderbilt University researcher: Do we want revenge or do we want results? If we want results, says Christopher Slobogin, the Milton Underwood Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University Law School, we should dramatically reform the system to stress community-based treatment over incarceration.
Foster Care
New Law Protects Foster Children From Identity Theft
Fox News, Providence, RI – October 9, 2011
Dee Saint Franc left the Rhode Island foster care system eager to start life on her own. But when she tried sign up for cable and Internet at Verizon, she learned that breaking free from her past wouldn't be easy.
Program helps foster kids take next step
9News, Kusa, CO – October 9, 2011
It's a tough time for people out of work to find a job, regardless of age. Though some, particularly adults in their 20's and 30's are living with their parents when they can't pay the bills, that isn't an option for most kids who grew up in the Foster system. That's where Forward Steps can help.
Teen Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy rate down in Milwaukee
WHBL, Milwaukee, WI – October 12, 2011
Fewer kids are having kids in Milwaukee for the second year in a row. City officials said almost 36 of every 1,000-teenagers had babies last year. That’s 5.6-less than in 2009 – when a similar drop was reported. The teen birth rate was as high as 52-per-thousand in 2006, and it brought Milwaukee some unwanted national attention. Three years ago, the city and its United Way joined forces to attack the problem.
DC Leaders Focus on Teen Pregnancy
MyFoxDC, Washington, DC – October 11, 2011
Did you know 60 percent of all pregnancies in the District are not planned? And public officials say many of those are involving teenagers in D.C.
'Put pregnancy on pause,' event urges Spartanburg teenagers
GoUpstate, Spartanburg County, SC – October 16, 2011
For 57.3 seconds, teens and college students paused in place as screens ticked off the time. The seconds represented the number of infants, 573, born in 2009 to teens ages 15 through 19, in Spartanburg County. That was just one statistic revealed at an event called PAUSE for a PURPOSE.
Monday, October 10, 2011
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
New Report Details High School Dropout Prevention Efforts
U.S. News & World Report – October 3, 2011
Most high school districts offer some sort of dropout prevention program, according to a new report released last week by the National Center for Education Statistics.
USD 437 sees progress in preventing dropouts
The Topeka Capital-Journal, Topeka, KS – October 3, 2011
Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 board of education members heard a report Monday that shows the district’s dropout prevention efforts are working.
'My Idea' Aims to Mobilize High School Students and Solve Dropout Crisis
TMCnet, Washington, DC – October 5, 2011
More than one million students every year, that is around one in four public school pupils, never complete high school. AT&T has made a generous donation to America’s Promise Alliance for the My Idea program. This is a program that works at helping solve the dropout crisis and helping students improve on their own lives as well as their peers.
Juvenile Justice
National Youth Justice Awareness Month Aims to Raise Issue of Juvenile Incarceration
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange – October 7, 2011
This October marks the fourth annual National Youth Justice Awareness Month. The month long program, sponsored by the Campaign for Youth Justice, involves activities and events across the United States that are centered on raising awareness and civic involvement with youth justice issues, primarily the incarceration of minors in the prison system of the nation.
Stephen Wise Renews Push for Juvenile Justice Reform
Sunshine State News, Florida – October 6, 2011
Two years after the Legislature softened Florida's zero-tolerance law in schools to prevent students from being sent to juvenile justice facilities for minor offenses, lawmakers are eager to take a second crack at juvenile justice reforms.
Group receives $135,000 grant to promote juvenile rehab programs
Arkansas News, Little Rock, AK – October 4, 2011
A child advocacy group said today it will use a $135,000 grant to fund a public information campaign promoting the success and importance of juvenile rehabilitation programs. Paul Kelly, senior policy analyst for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, announced the 18-month grant from the Washington, D.C.-based Public Welfare Foundation as juvenile justice officials emphasized Arkansas’ need for more community-based programs to address the needs of non-violent juvenile offenders.
Foster Care
DCF may extend benefits to more young adults
The CT Mirror, CT – October 3, 2011
The state has been Mufasa Abdulbasil's guardian for nearly 10 years, seeing to his needs for everything from food and shelter to clothes for school. But unless he goes to college when he turns 18--something he's not sure about now--he'll be on his own. But that may soon change. DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said she is looking into whether it makes sense for the state to extend services for children until age 21, and ask the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to split the cost.
Foster Kids Ask For More Encouragement To Go To College
Hartford Courant, New Haven, CT – October 3, 2011
Alixes Rosado, who has been in and out of the state's foster care system since he was 6 and is now a senior at the University of New Haven, credits his success in part to his social worker. "The kids [who] have somebody there caring for them and wanting them to succeed are going to do it," Rosado, 22, said Monday at a forum for legislators and state officials. "We all need a little push."
Teen Pregnancy
Revamping Sex Education: A New Approach to the Birds and the Bees
Huffington Post, New York, NY – October 6, 2011
New York City School Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Mayor Michael Bloomberg should be commended for their push to improve family life and sex education for public school students in grades 6-12. Current data indicate African-American and Latino teens in New York City have extraordinarily high rates of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and sexual risk-taking. Public education has an obligation to address this frightening trend.
Fonda says comprehensive approach needed to reduce teen pregnancy
The Daily Citizen, Georgia – October 6, 2011
When Jane Fonda founded the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) in 1996, the state had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation. Today, it ranks 13th. That’s considerable progress, but there’s still more work to be done.
New Report Details High School Dropout Prevention Efforts
U.S. News & World Report – October 3, 2011
Most high school districts offer some sort of dropout prevention program, according to a new report released last week by the National Center for Education Statistics.
USD 437 sees progress in preventing dropouts
The Topeka Capital-Journal, Topeka, KS – October 3, 2011
Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 board of education members heard a report Monday that shows the district’s dropout prevention efforts are working.
'My Idea' Aims to Mobilize High School Students and Solve Dropout Crisis
TMCnet, Washington, DC – October 5, 2011
More than one million students every year, that is around one in four public school pupils, never complete high school. AT&T has made a generous donation to America’s Promise Alliance for the My Idea program. This is a program that works at helping solve the dropout crisis and helping students improve on their own lives as well as their peers.
Juvenile Justice
National Youth Justice Awareness Month Aims to Raise Issue of Juvenile Incarceration
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange – October 7, 2011
This October marks the fourth annual National Youth Justice Awareness Month. The month long program, sponsored by the Campaign for Youth Justice, involves activities and events across the United States that are centered on raising awareness and civic involvement with youth justice issues, primarily the incarceration of minors in the prison system of the nation.
Stephen Wise Renews Push for Juvenile Justice Reform
Sunshine State News, Florida – October 6, 2011
Two years after the Legislature softened Florida's zero-tolerance law in schools to prevent students from being sent to juvenile justice facilities for minor offenses, lawmakers are eager to take a second crack at juvenile justice reforms.
Group receives $135,000 grant to promote juvenile rehab programs
Arkansas News, Little Rock, AK – October 4, 2011
A child advocacy group said today it will use a $135,000 grant to fund a public information campaign promoting the success and importance of juvenile rehabilitation programs. Paul Kelly, senior policy analyst for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, announced the 18-month grant from the Washington, D.C.-based Public Welfare Foundation as juvenile justice officials emphasized Arkansas’ need for more community-based programs to address the needs of non-violent juvenile offenders.
Foster Care
DCF may extend benefits to more young adults
The CT Mirror, CT – October 3, 2011
The state has been Mufasa Abdulbasil's guardian for nearly 10 years, seeing to his needs for everything from food and shelter to clothes for school. But unless he goes to college when he turns 18--something he's not sure about now--he'll be on his own. But that may soon change. DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said she is looking into whether it makes sense for the state to extend services for children until age 21, and ask the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to split the cost.
Foster Kids Ask For More Encouragement To Go To College
Hartford Courant, New Haven, CT – October 3, 2011
Alixes Rosado, who has been in and out of the state's foster care system since he was 6 and is now a senior at the University of New Haven, credits his success in part to his social worker. "The kids [who] have somebody there caring for them and wanting them to succeed are going to do it," Rosado, 22, said Monday at a forum for legislators and state officials. "We all need a little push."
Teen Pregnancy
Revamping Sex Education: A New Approach to the Birds and the Bees
Huffington Post, New York, NY – October 6, 2011
New York City School Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Mayor Michael Bloomberg should be commended for their push to improve family life and sex education for public school students in grades 6-12. Current data indicate African-American and Latino teens in New York City have extraordinarily high rates of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and sexual risk-taking. Public education has an obligation to address this frightening trend.
Fonda says comprehensive approach needed to reduce teen pregnancy
The Daily Citizen, Georgia – October 6, 2011
When Jane Fonda founded the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) in 1996, the state had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation. Today, it ranks 13th. That’s considerable progress, but there’s still more work to be done.
Monday, October 03, 2011
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
Maryland graduation rate at record 87%
The Washington Post, Maryland – September 30, 2011
Eighty-seven percent of Maryland students in the Class of 2011 received a high school diploma last spring, the highest graduation rate on record, according to state data released Friday.
Graduation Matters: Success in life starts in high school, freshmen told
Missoulian, Missoula County, MT – September 27, 2011
Nearly 1,000 high school freshmen took a seat in an uncommon venue Tuesday morning to hear what will become a common message for their next four years: Graduation matters.
Massachusetts considers raising school dropout age
Taunton Daily Gazette, Boston, MA – September 26, 2011
They can’t legally drink, smoke, vote or sign a contract, but 16-year-olds in Massachusetts can drop out of school without their parents’ consent. A new push to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18 comes at a time when close to 70 percent of high school graduates nationwide are choosing college, and there is fierce competition for jobs.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice commissioner says community is vital to department’s mission
The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA – September 29, 2011
Having a close connection to the community is vital to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice’s mission, says Commissioner Amy Howell. “Our function is to keep our communities safe and our young people safe and to turn them out in better shape than they came in,” Howell said Wednesday during a visit to Dalton’s Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC).
Changing the focus of juvenile justice
Argus Leader, Minnehaha County, SD – Septmeber 30, 2011
Minnehaha County is locking up fewer delinquent juveniles for petty offenses than it did a year ago, but officials tasked with finding alternatives to detention say there's still work to do.
Foster Care
Former Foster Kids Get A Helping Hand
KERO23, Bakersfield, CA – October 1, 2011
Imagine starting out on your own with nothing. That’s exactly what foster kids have to do when they turn 18. But Saturday they got help from the community. Stephanie Ortega is a former foster child. "It’s very hard going through foster care because you don’t have that stability," Ortega said.
Donation Drive to Help Foster Teens Become Independent
Fox26, Fresno, CA – October 2, 2011
Volunteers load an old dresser and a couple lawn chairs into a storage unit – donations for local foster teens. "It's a big responsibility. Especially when you don't have a family or you don't have people to rely on. It's real hard and the programs that they provide you helps out a lot," said Sade Brown, who is a beneficiary of the donation drive.
D.C. Group Helps Foster Children Succeed After Emancipation
WAMU 88.5, Washington, D.C. – September 27, 2011
When D.C.'s children in foster care reach age 18, many begin to leave the system in a process called emancipation. Without continued support, some of these so-called 'foster kids' will fail as they become adults; but one local group is helping provide them with a leg up.
Teen Pregnancy
Study aims to reduce teen pregnancy among Montgomery Hispanics
Maryland Community News, Maryland – September 28, 2011
A multi-year county study focused on reducing teenage pregnancy among Hispanics began this week, as new statistics show a gap between pregnancy rates for Hispanic teens and others has widened.
Education key to lower teen birth rates
The Star Democrat, Cambridge, MD – October 2, 2011
It's a touchy subject, often discussed under the topic of adolescent health, but adolescent pregnancy is one of the biggest concerns for women's health, according to Dr. Kevin Kearney at Choptank Community Health Services' Women's Health Center in Cambridge.
Low funding, budget cuts may contribute to rise in teen pregnancy locally
ENC Today, North Carolina – October 2, 2011
Young girls who are barely old enough to operate a car are having to take the wheel of not only their future but that of their children. Though teen pregnancy rates are slightly dropping around the country, the numbers are still high and it’s becoming more and more commonplace, depicted in popular television shows such as “16 and Pregnant,” “Teen Mom” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
Maryland graduation rate at record 87%
The Washington Post, Maryland – September 30, 2011
Eighty-seven percent of Maryland students in the Class of 2011 received a high school diploma last spring, the highest graduation rate on record, according to state data released Friday.
Graduation Matters: Success in life starts in high school, freshmen told
Missoulian, Missoula County, MT – September 27, 2011
Nearly 1,000 high school freshmen took a seat in an uncommon venue Tuesday morning to hear what will become a common message for their next four years: Graduation matters.
Massachusetts considers raising school dropout age
Taunton Daily Gazette, Boston, MA – September 26, 2011
They can’t legally drink, smoke, vote or sign a contract, but 16-year-olds in Massachusetts can drop out of school without their parents’ consent. A new push to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18 comes at a time when close to 70 percent of high school graduates nationwide are choosing college, and there is fierce competition for jobs.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice commissioner says community is vital to department’s mission
The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA – September 29, 2011
Having a close connection to the community is vital to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice’s mission, says Commissioner Amy Howell. “Our function is to keep our communities safe and our young people safe and to turn them out in better shape than they came in,” Howell said Wednesday during a visit to Dalton’s Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC).
Changing the focus of juvenile justice
Argus Leader, Minnehaha County, SD – Septmeber 30, 2011
Minnehaha County is locking up fewer delinquent juveniles for petty offenses than it did a year ago, but officials tasked with finding alternatives to detention say there's still work to do.
Foster Care
Former Foster Kids Get A Helping Hand
KERO23, Bakersfield, CA – October 1, 2011
Imagine starting out on your own with nothing. That’s exactly what foster kids have to do when they turn 18. But Saturday they got help from the community. Stephanie Ortega is a former foster child. "It’s very hard going through foster care because you don’t have that stability," Ortega said.
Donation Drive to Help Foster Teens Become Independent
Fox26, Fresno, CA – October 2, 2011
Volunteers load an old dresser and a couple lawn chairs into a storage unit – donations for local foster teens. "It's a big responsibility. Especially when you don't have a family or you don't have people to rely on. It's real hard and the programs that they provide you helps out a lot," said Sade Brown, who is a beneficiary of the donation drive.
D.C. Group Helps Foster Children Succeed After Emancipation
WAMU 88.5, Washington, D.C. – September 27, 2011
When D.C.'s children in foster care reach age 18, many begin to leave the system in a process called emancipation. Without continued support, some of these so-called 'foster kids' will fail as they become adults; but one local group is helping provide them with a leg up.
Teen Pregnancy
Study aims to reduce teen pregnancy among Montgomery Hispanics
Maryland Community News, Maryland – September 28, 2011
A multi-year county study focused on reducing teenage pregnancy among Hispanics began this week, as new statistics show a gap between pregnancy rates for Hispanic teens and others has widened.
Education key to lower teen birth rates
The Star Democrat, Cambridge, MD – October 2, 2011
It's a touchy subject, often discussed under the topic of adolescent health, but adolescent pregnancy is one of the biggest concerns for women's health, according to Dr. Kevin Kearney at Choptank Community Health Services' Women's Health Center in Cambridge.
Low funding, budget cuts may contribute to rise in teen pregnancy locally
ENC Today, North Carolina – October 2, 2011
Young girls who are barely old enough to operate a car are having to take the wheel of not only their future but that of their children. Though teen pregnancy rates are slightly dropping around the country, the numbers are still high and it’s becoming more and more commonplace, depicted in popular television shows such as “16 and Pregnant,” “Teen Mom” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
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