This Giving Tuesday, Give Teens the Power to Choose

Ty’Keese wants to be a mom someday. Just not right now.

Robert used to think that pregnancy was not really his problem.

Both Ty’Keese and Robert have participated in National Health Foundation’s Be A Star programs that offer at-risk youth in South Los Angeles high schools the type of frank and open conversations about pregnancy, sexual health, goal setting and personal responsibility that have proven to reduce teen pregnancy. After all, Be A Star’s motto is Be A ‘Successful Teen Acting Responsibly’!

Ty’Keese is currently attending Humboldt State University working towards her degree in psychology and Robert is in his last year of high school and serves as a mentor to other young men in the program.

The harsh reality is only 40% of teen moms finish high school and fewer than 2% finish college by age 30*. High school dropouts face unemployment, poverty – and shorter lives. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a significant link between education and health. High school graduates live longer than high school dropouts. College graduates have even longer life spans, better access to health care, better dietary and health practices, and overall better health.

Be A Star has provided more than 700 students with the tools they needed to prevent unwanted pregnancy and set a clear path to graduation and beyond. For teens who are already parenting, the program encourages students to complete high school, set goals for college and prevent any additional unwanted pregnancies.

“It is amazing to watch the young men and women in the program really step into themselves. They come in somewhat shy and unsure and by the time they complete the program they are knowledgeable and empowered. You can see it in the way they speak. More importantly though, you can sense the hope they have for their futures,” shared Be A Star program manager, Jeanette Pena.

All of the donations received by National Health Foundation on #GivingTuesday will be used to expand and improve our health programs such as Be A STAR. We’re hoping to raise $8000 to increase the number of participants we can serve. Click here to connect with our donation page.

Find out more about the Be A Star Boys from Raymond Diaz, program coordinator: Click here

*The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, “Preventing Teen Pregnancy is Critical to School Completion,” Briefly… (Washington, D.C.) July 2010

School-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program Leads to Longer, Healthier Lives

Designed and facilitated by NHF, Be a STAR girls is a school-based teen pregnancy prevention program for adolescent females at-risk for a first time pregnancy. The program focuses on healthy behaviors, family planning, skill development, communication, and goal oriented behavior to empower teen girls to prevent unplanned pregnancies and improve their overall health, well-being, and success in life.

We recently caught up with one of our Be a STAR graduates, Ty’Kese, before she headed off to college. Ty’kese epitomizes what Be a STAR is all about. She is a Successful Teen Acting Responsibly. Pregnancy and parenthood cause many young, promising teens to drop out of school. And dropping out of school can completely devastate their lives and shut down otherwise bright futures.

High school drop-outs face unemployment, poverty – and shorter lives. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a significant link between education and health. High school graduates live longer than high school dropouts. College graduates have even longer life spans, better access to health care, better dietary and health practices, and overall better health.

Ty’Kese is smart and interested in making a difference in others’ lives. She’s a vegetarian. She wants to study psychology and social work as an undergraduate and then earn her master’s degree. She prides herself on asking questions and being well informed in the classroom and in the world at large.

Ty’Kese was surprised when the social worker at her high school recommended she get involved with NHF’s Be a STAR girls program. Although she’d had a few pregnancy scares, she really didn’t think she was at-risk of becoming pregnant. Plus, helping to take care of her younger brother at home, she felt, gave her a good idea of what it would be like to be a young mother. It didn’t seem like it would be that hard.

The truth is she didn’t want anything to do with Be a STAR girls, but she sat in on one session and was hooked. She loved getting honest, factual information about health and sexuality. She loved being in an atmosphere where she could freely ask questions. She appreciated having the opportunity to learn more about her own body in a safe environment with other girls. And it was eye opening for her to have myths such as, "you can’t become pregnant when you have your period" debunked.

What is shocking is that Ty’Kese had taken several other health and sex education classes and said she learned more in just a couple of Be a STAR sessions than she ever learned before. Be a STAR prepared her for adulthood by giving her full information about her birth control options and helping her set forth her personal goals for the next two, five, and ten years.

The goal setting exercises caught her attention. Yes, she enjoyed helping take care of her little brother, but now she saw how completely different this would be from actually being a young mom. In one exercise, Ty’Kese created a daily schedule of what her life would be like as a parent. This “as if” schedule showed her an unending string of early mornings, grueling days, and the difficulty of getting someone to watch her baby while she went to school. She could see how extremely difficult, if not impossible, it would be to reach her goals in these circumstances.

Ty’Kese is more concerned, careful, and knowledgeable about birth control than she used to be. Her eyes are wide open. She pays attention to her own body and is self-aware. She wishes Be a STAR was required for all girls at her former high school.

She wants to be a mom one day, when she’s ready, perhaps in a decade, after she has completed her education and has a good job as a social worker. For now, Ty’Kese wants to enjoy being a student and focus on her goals for a life that will be filled with achievements and the prospect of long-term health.

Support in School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens in South Los Angeles

On February 9, 2016, National Health Foundation began its eighth year of the Harold Cares About Your Future: Pregnant and Parenting Teen (PPT) program, which was created to empower teen mothers to have healthy pregnancies and parenting experiences. The program serves low-income, predominantly Latina and African American girls in South Los Angeles.

For many of our participants, maintaining a healthy pregnancy is a daily effort that requires what seem like simple, yet are significant changes in behavior. Whether it be eating healthier, taking prenatal vitamins or exercising more, the program provides space for each mom to discuss behaviors she is trying to improve. The program also connects participants with community resources for healthcare, child care and career planning. The combination of small-group education sessions with community partners gives participants access to different forms of support. Ultimately, the goal of the PPT program is to increase rates of high school graduation, and decrease the incidence of low birthweight babies and recidivism.

This year, a group of 22 girls at Thomas Riley High met once a week for 10 weeks to learn about nutrition, fetal development and child development, to share their experiences with labor, delivery and motherhood, and to discuss healthcare, child care and other family services.

Rebecca, an expectant mom and a sophomore at Thomas Riley High, had a few things to share about her experience in the program:

How did you find out about the Pregnant and Parenting Teen (PPT) program?

I found out about the program through my principal, Ms. Roussel. My math teacher, Ms. Vester, encouraged me to attend. She wanted me to get involved in a program for new moms.

What did you think the PPT program was going to be about? Were you surprised by what it really was?

I thought it was going to be a class with tips for pregnancy and parenting. I was surprised with how open the meetings were. Everyone got a chance to share their experiences. Before being in the group, I was scared to go into labor but after hearing the girls’ stories, I’m happy to know that everything will end up okay.

What was one thing that really stuck with you?

I really liked everything we learned. When we talked about fetal development, for example, I learned that a baby can open and close their eye lids starting in week 26, during the second trimester. The topic that stuck with me the most was when we talked about sleeping patterns. I never realized how important sleeping schedules could be, for both the mom and the baby.

Did any of your behaviors change or improve throughout the program?

Yes, I started practicing meditation and relaxation techniques after we learned about how stress can affect a pregnancy. I also started walking more. It was a little hard at first, but I was able to make the changes I needed to have a healthier pregnancy.

How will you use some of the things you learned going forward?

I’m going to keep all the notes we took in class to use in the future, especially the ones about child development because I think that’s really important.

Participants at Thomas Riley High graduated from the program and received their certificate of completion on May 3, 2016. The PPT program is currently in session at McAlister High School. They are set to have their graduation on June 8, 2016.