This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Finding new paths to high school graduation
SoMdNews.com, Great Mills, MD – May 2, 2012
A modest crowd gathered last Thursday evening at Great Mills High School to hear about what St. Mary’s public schools offers to help keep kids on track to graduate.

Teachers Discuss High School Drop Out Rates in Florida
WUSF News, Florida – April 29, 2012
An initiative called American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen, which is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, brought together public school teachers from across the state, including Tampa, to Jacksonville this weekend.

Fighting The Odds: Inside D.C.'s Dropout Crisis
WAMU 88.5, Washington, D.C. – May 2, 2012
WAMU 88.5 has spent the past several months delving into the high school dropout crisis in Washington, D.C., where more than 40 percent of students fail to complete their studies within four years. We visited innovative schools, talked with kids managing to succeed despite having the deck stacked against them, and compared the U.S.'s floundering graduation rate to that of schools overseas.

Juvenile Justice

Does race matter in the juvenile justice system?
The CT Mirror, Connecticut – May 4, 2012
When a child is referred to a Connecticut court, the state's juvenile justice system is largely colorblind.  New state data from 2011 show that whether a youth is black, white or Latino, he has about a 50 percent chance of having his case dismissed. Similarly, about 30 percent of all youths -- regardless of skin color or ethnicity -- receive probation after they are arrested.

4th District court a model for change
The News Star, Louisiana – May 29, 2012
The 4th Judicial District Court has become the state's model for change in the juvenile justice system thanks to the efforts of multiple local agencies over the past two years.  The district was selected two years ago to be a pilot site for the Louisiana Models for Change initiative to develop a model program for juvenile drug courts and the juvenile justice system. The project was funded by a $385,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which ends in May.

NILE discusses challenge to steer kids from violence
Chicago Tribune, Memphis & Shelby Counties, TN – May 4, 2012
More than 100 people came out Thursday night to discuss their organization's efforts to reduce the number of children entering local juvenile and criminal justice systems and to recognize the rehabilitation of former juvenile offenders.

Foster Care

First Place for Youth helps former foster care youth find housing
ABC 7, Los Angeles, CA – May 3, 2012
Ashley Marquez, 18, was briefly homeless until she moved into her first apartment in Baldwin Hills Thursday. When Marquez turned 18, she was aged out of L.A.'s foster care system.

At-risk young adults find career paths through Montgomery nonprofit
Gazette.net, Rockville, MD – May 3, 2012
Future Link is a youth development program that helps young adults who are aging out of foster care, who have experienced homelessness, substance addiction, incarceration and/or abuse, or who are first generation college students. The program works with students to identify sustainable career paths. Then, it provides them guidance and connections to get started.

Teen Pregnancy

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
The Daily Freeman-Journal, Iowa – May 2, 2012
In Iowa and across the country, communities will be observing Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month in May. Statewide reports showing a decline in teen pregnancy and teen birth rates which is positive for programs that provide teens with accurate, age-appropriate sex education, and access to confidential sexual health services.

Holyoke is Looking to Reduce Teen Pregnancy
Fox 6, Holyoke, MA – May 3, 2012
The Holyoke Board of Health has organized a task force to help reduce the number of teen pregnancies in the city.  The announcement was made Thursday afternoon by Mayor Alex Morse and the Holyoke Adolescent Sexual Health and Pregnancy Prevention Task Force.

Thousands gather to address teen pregnancy
Sun Herald, Biloxi, MS – May 5, 2012
Nearly 3,000 pre-teens, teens, mothers, concerned women and community leaders came together to educate young women about preventing teenage pregnancy.  The fifth annual event at the Coast Coliseum was filled with education, love and a little entertainment for those who attended.