Education
Graduation ceremony honors those who were once most at-risk in Palm Beach County
The Palm Beach Post, Lake Worth, FL – August 25, 2012
Somewhere around his junior year, Michael Meese just decided he didn’t really want to go to school anymore. But thanks to a pilot program aimed to cut down on high school dropouts, Meese got back on track again, graduating as his family looked proudly on.
North Marion High School Hosts Drop Out Prevention Invitational
WBOY12, Marion County, WV – August 24, 2012
North Marion High School invited juniors and seniors from Fairmont Senior and East Fairmont High Schools to join their students in the drop out prevention invitational. Students worked with the U.S. Marine Corps to improve their physical and mental abilities.
Dropouts offered 2nd chance
Toledo Blade, Ohio – August 21, 2012
Allison Hinds decided in her senior year that she and high school didn't mix. Her prospects weren't bright. But these days, she has a job and her own place and is back on track at school, thanks to a new program at Owens Community College for high school dropouts.
Juvenile Justice
Kids Behind Bars: Illinois Rethinks Juvenile Justice
NPR News, Illinois – August 18, 2012
The state's juvenile prison system has been called an expensive failure. So Illinois, like several other states, is trying a new approach to make sure kids out on parole don't come back: treating youths who commit crimes less like adults. And the structure of the system is starting to shift.
Life-without-parole bill lands on governor's desk
San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento, CA – August 20, 2012
A bill to let prisoners appeal lifetime sentences they received for crimes committed when they were juveniles is now in the governor's hands.
Foster Care
Former Foster Children Get A Leg Up At Sac State
KTXL Fox40, Sacramento, CA – August 24, 2012
A program to help Sac State students who were in foster care arranged for the donation of much needed laptop computers. The Guardian Scholars program at CSUS helps students navigate the university system by providing financial aid, counseling and vocational guidance.
Visa offers path for immigrant youth in state care
The Sacramento Bee, Cumming, GA – August 25, 2012
Maria Boudet has no memory of Mexico or how she came to the United States. What she does remember is the year she turned 16 and found out she was living in the country illegally. Two years ago, her mother was deported, her brother was detained and she was put in foster care. A powerful reminder of all she lost and gained is printed on the top right corner of her green card: "SL6." That's the code for special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), the little-known program that allows Boudet and hundreds like her each year to live and work in the U.S. as a legal permanent resident.
Teen Pregnancy
Greater New Haven nonprofit honors graduates of teen pregnancy prevention program
New Haven Register, North Haven, CT – August 26, 2012
An ambitious local nonprofit is attempting to tackle the issue of teen pregnancy prevention through positive reinforcement. The organization is recognizing New Haven teens who have chosen to not have children.
Ads invoke reality to fight teen pregnancy
Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI – August 21, 2012
United Way of Greater Milwaukee, in collaboration with Serve Marketing, is launching a new "What You Can't Do with a Baby" campaign to get teens talking and thinking about how life changes when a teen becomes a parent. The ads depict a high school basketball player and a cheerleader in action, both with attached baby carriers and the message: "Think your life won't change with a baby?" The ads direct teens to BabyCanWait.com, connecting them to information and resources to help prevent pregnancy and promote healthy relationships.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
High school dropouts get a second chance in Camden County
MLive.com, Lansing, MI – August 17, 2012
The Capital City is home to one of the worst high school dropout rates in Michigan, but a potential charter school could help remedy that. The Lansing school board on Thursday unanimously approved a request from BCFI to send a letter to the Michigan Department of Education expressing interest in becoming an authorizer for the BCFI Empowerment Academy, a charter school.
One More Time: Yes, College Is Worth It
Time – August 16, 2012
A new study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce finds that a college degree is indeed the best defense against unemployment. “It’s a tough job market for college graduates,” the report says, “but far worse for those without a college education.”
Montgomery educator reaches out with house calls
Gazette.net, Montgomery, MD – August 15, 2012
It was the day after the Hughes family’s vacation, and Scott and Lisa Hughes and their sons were relaxing in their Derwood home. Their oldest child, Jake, who is about to begin eighth grade at Shady Grove Middle School, paced around the living room. His principal, Edward Owusu, was on his way.
Juvenile Justice
Kids Behind Bars: Illinois Rethinks Juvenile Justice
NPR, Chicago, IL – August 18, 2012
A damning report from the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission called the state youth prison system an expensive failure. Its study showed that "well over 50 percent of youth" leaving the state's facilities will go back to juvenile facilities — and others will head to adult corrections system. Some of the juveniles in Illinois' system committed serious offenses, the report shows. But many others are there for lesser crimes and, officials say, would be better served in treatment or educational programs.
Juvenile offender program working
Tampa Bay Online, Tampa, FL – August 17, 2012
A program to keep first-time juvenile offenders out of Hillsborough County's criminal justice system recorded a 91 percent success rate after one year, county commissioners learned Thursday.
Report: Juvenile detention population down
WVUE Fox8, Baton Rouge, LA – August 14, 2012
A report by Louisiana State University on the current status of the juvenile justice system has concluded multiple parishes have seen a decline in the number of youths detained over the past five years. The study concludes that the decreases are thanks to needs assessment tools helping probation officers develop case plans specific to a person's individual needs.
Foster Care
State's Ready by 21 prepares foster youth for life
The Baltimore Sun, Maryland – August 19, 2012
Shalita O'Neale approached her 21st birthday with more dread than enthusiasm. Reaching the milestone meant she would officially age out of the state's foster care system. Nine years later, she is a college graduate established in a career with a home and family of her own. But she understands the desperation that comes with severing ties to a system that has filled in for absentee parents.
She has become a strong proponent of a new state initiative, known as Ready by 21.
Help for Fla foster youth after they leave system
The Miami Herald, Tallahassee, FL – August 16, 2012
State child welfare officials are overhauling a program that helps teens as they age out of foster care. Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins on Wednesday appointed 12 people to the newly reassembled Independent Living Services Advisory Council.
A Next Step for Foster Kids
The Wall Street Journal, New York, NY – August 19, 2012
What happens when a young person ages out of the foster-care system? For five New Yorkers in particular the plans are divergent, yet familiar. One young woman wants to become a script supervisor. Another wants to be a doctor. Two young mothers want help finding housing and assistance earning a GED. And a young man wants to pursue his dream of developing video games. Beginning Aug. 20, they and some 45 others from around the country will be able to post their aspirations online and raise money and support through the newly launched Camellia Network.
Teen Pregnancy
Teen Pregnancy Declines, But U.S. Still Lags
NPR, Washington, D.C. – August 19, 2012
The U.S. teen pregnancy rate is the highest in the developed world. In 2008, nearly 7 percent of girls between ages of 15 and 19 became pregnant. But there's good news: The numbers have been going down for a few decades, hitting a 42-percent drop by 2008. The decline occurred across all races — though blacks and Latinos continued to have higher numbers. The dramatic decline is a huge success for those who have worked to prevent teen pregnancy, but there's still much work ahead.
Jackson County Officials Work to Decrease Pregnancy Rates among Latina Teens
The Lund Report, Jackson County, OR – August 16, 2012
Jackson County has the tenth highest teen pregnancy rate in Oregon – and a disproportionately high teen pregnancy rate among Latina girls. Even more disconcerting, said Maggie Sullivan, program manager for the Health Care Coalition of Southern Oregon, was the age of some of the girls. She was working at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Jackson County when she and several other health officials conferred, and noticed a high number of middle school-aged Latina girls coming into community clinics requesting pregnancy tests. Health officials started by holding a health fair called La Salud de Mi Hija (Spanish for “my daughter's health) for Latino families.
High school dropouts get a second chance in Camden County
MLive.com, Lansing, MI – August 17, 2012
The Capital City is home to one of the worst high school dropout rates in Michigan, but a potential charter school could help remedy that. The Lansing school board on Thursday unanimously approved a request from BCFI to send a letter to the Michigan Department of Education expressing interest in becoming an authorizer for the BCFI Empowerment Academy, a charter school.
One More Time: Yes, College Is Worth It
Time – August 16, 2012
A new study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce finds that a college degree is indeed the best defense against unemployment. “It’s a tough job market for college graduates,” the report says, “but far worse for those without a college education.”
Montgomery educator reaches out with house calls
Gazette.net, Montgomery, MD – August 15, 2012
It was the day after the Hughes family’s vacation, and Scott and Lisa Hughes and their sons were relaxing in their Derwood home. Their oldest child, Jake, who is about to begin eighth grade at Shady Grove Middle School, paced around the living room. His principal, Edward Owusu, was on his way.
Juvenile Justice
Kids Behind Bars: Illinois Rethinks Juvenile Justice
NPR, Chicago, IL – August 18, 2012
A damning report from the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission called the state youth prison system an expensive failure. Its study showed that "well over 50 percent of youth" leaving the state's facilities will go back to juvenile facilities — and others will head to adult corrections system. Some of the juveniles in Illinois' system committed serious offenses, the report shows. But many others are there for lesser crimes and, officials say, would be better served in treatment or educational programs.
Juvenile offender program working
Tampa Bay Online, Tampa, FL – August 17, 2012
A program to keep first-time juvenile offenders out of Hillsborough County's criminal justice system recorded a 91 percent success rate after one year, county commissioners learned Thursday.
Report: Juvenile detention population down
WVUE Fox8, Baton Rouge, LA – August 14, 2012
A report by Louisiana State University on the current status of the juvenile justice system has concluded multiple parishes have seen a decline in the number of youths detained over the past five years. The study concludes that the decreases are thanks to needs assessment tools helping probation officers develop case plans specific to a person's individual needs.
Foster Care
State's Ready by 21 prepares foster youth for life
The Baltimore Sun, Maryland – August 19, 2012
Shalita O'Neale approached her 21st birthday with more dread than enthusiasm. Reaching the milestone meant she would officially age out of the state's foster care system. Nine years later, she is a college graduate established in a career with a home and family of her own. But she understands the desperation that comes with severing ties to a system that has filled in for absentee parents.
She has become a strong proponent of a new state initiative, known as Ready by 21.
Help for Fla foster youth after they leave system
The Miami Herald, Tallahassee, FL – August 16, 2012
State child welfare officials are overhauling a program that helps teens as they age out of foster care. Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins on Wednesday appointed 12 people to the newly reassembled Independent Living Services Advisory Council.
A Next Step for Foster Kids
The Wall Street Journal, New York, NY – August 19, 2012
What happens when a young person ages out of the foster-care system? For five New Yorkers in particular the plans are divergent, yet familiar. One young woman wants to become a script supervisor. Another wants to be a doctor. Two young mothers want help finding housing and assistance earning a GED. And a young man wants to pursue his dream of developing video games. Beginning Aug. 20, they and some 45 others from around the country will be able to post their aspirations online and raise money and support through the newly launched Camellia Network.
Teen Pregnancy
Teen Pregnancy Declines, But U.S. Still Lags
NPR, Washington, D.C. – August 19, 2012
The U.S. teen pregnancy rate is the highest in the developed world. In 2008, nearly 7 percent of girls between ages of 15 and 19 became pregnant. But there's good news: The numbers have been going down for a few decades, hitting a 42-percent drop by 2008. The decline occurred across all races — though blacks and Latinos continued to have higher numbers. The dramatic decline is a huge success for those who have worked to prevent teen pregnancy, but there's still much work ahead.
Jackson County Officials Work to Decrease Pregnancy Rates among Latina Teens
The Lund Report, Jackson County, OR – August 16, 2012
Jackson County has the tenth highest teen pregnancy rate in Oregon – and a disproportionately high teen pregnancy rate among Latina girls. Even more disconcerting, said Maggie Sullivan, program manager for the Health Care Coalition of Southern Oregon, was the age of some of the girls. She was working at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Jackson County when she and several other health officials conferred, and noticed a high number of middle school-aged Latina girls coming into community clinics requesting pregnancy tests. Health officials started by holding a health fair called La Salud de Mi Hija (Spanish for “my daughter's health) for Latino families.
Monday, August 13, 2012
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
Law asks panel to find ways to boost graduation rate in Illinois
Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois – August 12, 2012
The Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success will look at alternative education programs to help keep at-risk students in class. The group has to present its findings to Quinn and lawmakers by Nov. 1.
YouthBuild to allow more students to join program
Pantagraph.com, Normal, IL – August 10, 2012
A student can now earn a high school diploma, GED or learn vocational skills at YouthBuild McLean County without being a high school drop-out. That change was approved by the McLean County Unit 5 school board this week when it amended its charter school agreement with YouthBuild. Another change allows YouthBuild to become a year-round school.
'Be Ready' Program Hopes To Improve High School Graduation Rates
WIBC 93.1, Indiana – August 11, 2012
An initiative called 'Be Ready' is gearing up to make sure Hoosier students are prepared for academic success. It's an effort led by the Boys and Girls Club to decrease high school dropout rates.
Juvenile Justice
College hopes renewed for Lawrence dropouts
Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, NH – August 9, 2012
This month’s opening of Phoenix Academy-Lawrence, a new alternative high school, will revive college hopes and careers for hundreds of dropouts in the city.
Juvenile offenders to get fresh start
Weatherford Democrat, Parker County, TX – August 9, 2012
The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded a grant of $1.5 million that is expected to help young Parker County adults who have been involved in the juvenile justice system gain education, vocational training and an opportunity to give back to the community.
Foster Care
Angel House provides launch into real world
The Cherokee Ledger-News, Georgia – August 7, 2012
Angel House of North Georgia, a private nonprofit foster care facility near Canton, offers a haven for young girls in need. Now, the organization has spread its wings to provide another service —transitional apartments where the young women can live as they age out of foster care and gain a footing living independently.
Foster scholars get help
The Union Democrat, Calavaras County, CA - August 6, 2012
A half-dozen college freshmen who grew up in foster care in Calaveras County could get a little more care and support this year if a campaign envisioned by a Valley Springs woman takes off as planned. Karen Pekarcik, who has extensive experience working with youth as the executive director of First 5 Calaveras, is recruiting at least five county residents who want to join her in sponsoring a student.
Teen Pregnancy
Scholars argue lack of economic prospects leads teens to pregnancy
MLive.com, Michigan – August 9, 2012
The Catherine Ferguson Academy is on its summer schedule, and the custodians’ floor-polishing has pushed much of what is unique about the Detroit charter high school into the halls. A line of high chairs blocks a row of lockers. A table with built-in chairs for four infants stands near a pushcart designed to hold nine of them. And everywhere are posters of rainbow-colored condoms.
Salem-Keizer School District to keep teen pregnancy prevention class by Planned Parenthood
The Statesman Journal, Oregon – August 8, 2012
Salem-Keizer School District announced Tuesday it will keep its teen pregnancy prevention class as is despite a parent’s objection to Planned Parenthood’s involvement. Planned Parenthood received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to offer Teen Outreach Program to five states, including Oregon.
Law asks panel to find ways to boost graduation rate in Illinois
Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois – August 12, 2012
The Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success will look at alternative education programs to help keep at-risk students in class. The group has to present its findings to Quinn and lawmakers by Nov. 1.
YouthBuild to allow more students to join program
Pantagraph.com, Normal, IL – August 10, 2012
A student can now earn a high school diploma, GED or learn vocational skills at YouthBuild McLean County without being a high school drop-out. That change was approved by the McLean County Unit 5 school board this week when it amended its charter school agreement with YouthBuild. Another change allows YouthBuild to become a year-round school.
'Be Ready' Program Hopes To Improve High School Graduation Rates
WIBC 93.1, Indiana – August 11, 2012
An initiative called 'Be Ready' is gearing up to make sure Hoosier students are prepared for academic success. It's an effort led by the Boys and Girls Club to decrease high school dropout rates.
Juvenile Justice
College hopes renewed for Lawrence dropouts
Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, NH – August 9, 2012
This month’s opening of Phoenix Academy-Lawrence, a new alternative high school, will revive college hopes and careers for hundreds of dropouts in the city.
Juvenile offenders to get fresh start
Weatherford Democrat, Parker County, TX – August 9, 2012
The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded a grant of $1.5 million that is expected to help young Parker County adults who have been involved in the juvenile justice system gain education, vocational training and an opportunity to give back to the community.
Foster Care
Angel House provides launch into real world
The Cherokee Ledger-News, Georgia – August 7, 2012
Angel House of North Georgia, a private nonprofit foster care facility near Canton, offers a haven for young girls in need. Now, the organization has spread its wings to provide another service —transitional apartments where the young women can live as they age out of foster care and gain a footing living independently.
Foster scholars get help
The Union Democrat, Calavaras County, CA - August 6, 2012
A half-dozen college freshmen who grew up in foster care in Calaveras County could get a little more care and support this year if a campaign envisioned by a Valley Springs woman takes off as planned. Karen Pekarcik, who has extensive experience working with youth as the executive director of First 5 Calaveras, is recruiting at least five county residents who want to join her in sponsoring a student.
Teen Pregnancy
Scholars argue lack of economic prospects leads teens to pregnancy
MLive.com, Michigan – August 9, 2012
The Catherine Ferguson Academy is on its summer schedule, and the custodians’ floor-polishing has pushed much of what is unique about the Detroit charter high school into the halls. A line of high chairs blocks a row of lockers. A table with built-in chairs for four infants stands near a pushcart designed to hold nine of them. And everywhere are posters of rainbow-colored condoms.
Salem-Keizer School District to keep teen pregnancy prevention class by Planned Parenthood
The Statesman Journal, Oregon – August 8, 2012
Salem-Keizer School District announced Tuesday it will keep its teen pregnancy prevention class as is despite a parent’s objection to Planned Parenthood’s involvement. Planned Parenthood received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to offer Teen Outreach Program to five states, including Oregon.
Monday, August 06, 2012
This Week's News: Youth in Transition
Education
Texas' high school graduation rate reaches record high
Houston Chronicle, Texas – August 3, 2012
Graduation rates for Texas' black and Hispanic students topped 80 percent for the first time in state history in 2011, but they still lagged behind the record-setting overall graduation rate of 86 percent, the Texas Education Agency reported Friday.
Grad rates up in CMS, N.C.
Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC – August 3, 2012
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ graduation rate rose to 75 percent in 2012, while the state’s rate hit 80 percent for the first time ever, according to a state report released Thursday. The CMS increase, from 73.5 percent in 2011, means 319 more students earned on-time diplomas this year, with the biggest gains among the African-American, Hispanic and low-income students who have traditionally been less likely to graduate.
Charter Schools Promises To Lower Rockford High School Dropout Rate
MyStateline.com, Rockford, IL – August 3, 2012
A charter school is exactly what District 205 needs to bring high school dropouts back to the classroom; at least that's what GreenTek Career Academy is saying.
Juvenile Justice
Ohio Delegation Visits NJ To Study Juvenile Detention Reform Efforts
JNToday.net, Trenton, NJ – August 2, 2012
A delegation from the state of Ohio including judges, court administrators, representative from the Ohio Department of Youth Services, and other stakeholders, are in New Jersey to attend a two-day working session designed to help Ohio replicate New Jersey’s success in juvenile detention reform.
Lake juvenile work program becoming a model for other communities
Orlando Sentinel, Taveres, FL – August 5, 2012
A Lake County program in which young offenders work on community projects as an alternative to having arrest records is becoming a model for other counties.
Foster Care
Utah foster kids learn how to live after ‘aging out’
The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah – August 2, 2012
For Courtney Bown, life after foster care looks overwhelming. "I’m really nervous," she said. "I’m not ready for the world." Taken out of an abusive home at about 10, she lived with two different foster families and credits the system with steering her away from drugs and even helping her mother and father become better parents. But foster care ended last month for Bown when she turned 18.
Rhode Island Foster Youth at First Star URI Academy Complete Inaugural Summer
Virtual-Strategy Magazine, Kingston, RI – August 3, 2012
ess than 3 percent of America’s foster youth earn four year degrees compared to 30 percent of the general population*. Today, for the 20 foster youth who completed their inaugural summer at the First Star URI Academy, there is hope that those numbers will change. Thanks in large part to the founding support of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), as well as the support of IDentity Theft 911, Adoption RI and the state Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF), Rhode Island has become the second state to host this innovative Academy.
Teen Pregnancy
Mississippi Sex Education: Majority Of School Districts Choose Abstinence-Only Curriculum
Huffington Post, Mississippi – July 30, 2012
With the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, a majority of Mississippi's school districts have chosen to teach an abstinence-only sex education curriculum this year.
Texas' high school graduation rate reaches record high
Houston Chronicle, Texas – August 3, 2012
Graduation rates for Texas' black and Hispanic students topped 80 percent for the first time in state history in 2011, but they still lagged behind the record-setting overall graduation rate of 86 percent, the Texas Education Agency reported Friday.
Grad rates up in CMS, N.C.
Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC – August 3, 2012
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ graduation rate rose to 75 percent in 2012, while the state’s rate hit 80 percent for the first time ever, according to a state report released Thursday. The CMS increase, from 73.5 percent in 2011, means 319 more students earned on-time diplomas this year, with the biggest gains among the African-American, Hispanic and low-income students who have traditionally been less likely to graduate.
Charter Schools Promises To Lower Rockford High School Dropout Rate
MyStateline.com, Rockford, IL – August 3, 2012
A charter school is exactly what District 205 needs to bring high school dropouts back to the classroom; at least that's what GreenTek Career Academy is saying.
Juvenile Justice
Ohio Delegation Visits NJ To Study Juvenile Detention Reform Efforts
JNToday.net, Trenton, NJ – August 2, 2012
A delegation from the state of Ohio including judges, court administrators, representative from the Ohio Department of Youth Services, and other stakeholders, are in New Jersey to attend a two-day working session designed to help Ohio replicate New Jersey’s success in juvenile detention reform.
Lake juvenile work program becoming a model for other communities
Orlando Sentinel, Taveres, FL – August 5, 2012
A Lake County program in which young offenders work on community projects as an alternative to having arrest records is becoming a model for other counties.
Foster Care
Utah foster kids learn how to live after ‘aging out’
The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah – August 2, 2012
For Courtney Bown, life after foster care looks overwhelming. "I’m really nervous," she said. "I’m not ready for the world." Taken out of an abusive home at about 10, she lived with two different foster families and credits the system with steering her away from drugs and even helping her mother and father become better parents. But foster care ended last month for Bown when she turned 18.
Rhode Island Foster Youth at First Star URI Academy Complete Inaugural Summer
Virtual-Strategy Magazine, Kingston, RI – August 3, 2012
ess than 3 percent of America’s foster youth earn four year degrees compared to 30 percent of the general population*. Today, for the 20 foster youth who completed their inaugural summer at the First Star URI Academy, there is hope that those numbers will change. Thanks in large part to the founding support of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), as well as the support of IDentity Theft 911, Adoption RI and the state Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF), Rhode Island has become the second state to host this innovative Academy.
Teen Pregnancy
Mississippi Sex Education: Majority Of School Districts Choose Abstinence-Only Curriculum
Huffington Post, Mississippi – July 30, 2012
With the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, a majority of Mississippi's school districts have chosen to teach an abstinence-only sex education curriculum this year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)