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Spotlight on Mentoring: Teen Parent Program at Extended Day School “The hour I spend with the girls is the highlight of my week. They give back to me more than I give to them,” asserts Lita Smith, a Communities In Schools mentor with the Teen Parent Program. “Giving your time is the best gift you can give anybody, because it is more valuable than anything else you can give.” Sherry Brannon, a fellow mentor, agrees, “I leave each week thinking about these girls, how their lives are about to change. They are becoming so confident as expectant mothers as they look forward to life with their new child.” Brannon works for Smart Start where many of her co-workers mentor in other local schools. She chose to mentor with the Teen Parent Program because, through her life experiences, she understands “how important it is to have support and encouragement during a time like this in your life.” Whether it’s sharing stories of experiences in raising children or helping out with a graduation project, the expectant teen mothers benefit from having the mentors to look up to and are encouraged by their support. The teenagers are extremely grateful for the guidance the mentors provide. “It’s nice to have people around to talk to about becoming a mother. Hearing their stories is helpful as we are going through the process,” one of the students in the program shared. The Teen Parent Program moved from Davidson County Community College to Extended Day School in 2006 and is open to pregnant students in the Lexington, Thomasville and Davidson County School systems. While the program varies from the other 18 mentoring programs CIS currently operates, the difference being made is easy to see. “It’s a program you can believe in. It not only effects this generation but also the next,” explains Martha Maness, Director of the Teen Parent Program. “We greatly appreciate the mentors time, energy, and commitment to the girls.” Several women completed the CIS training and adopted the young ladies in the Teen Parent Program during the 2007-2008 school year after learning about the program through Holly Grove Lutheran Church. The mentors have found that since enrollment in the Teen Parent Program necessarily changes each semester, mentoring in a group setting works best. However, many of the new moms still occasionally drop in to say hello to their fellow mentors. “It’s good for the girls to see and hear success stories of past students who didn’t drop out of school just because they were pregnant,” said Maness. “Whenever Martha let’s us know one of the girls has a need, I send out an email and it is rare that the need isn’t immediately fulfilled,” said Smith. “If you want to make a difference, it has to come from the heart.” “I would encourage others to become CIS members because you get more out of it than what you give,” commented Brannon.
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August 2010 Newsletter
Spotlight: Teen Parent Program
