Eight teenage girls sit in a small room in the City Heights Building, eating pizza and watching a movie after school. They talk about their families, boys, and their hopes and dreams for the future. They want to go to college, buy a car, get a good job and move into a home of their own someday.
Star has artfully sliced her t-shirt; Irma has experimented with a touch of blue in her hair. They look like typical American teens, but there is nothing ordinary about them and the challenges they face. The young women, ranging from 15-19 years old, are all mothers enrolled in Planned Parenthood’s Teen Success Program.
The program aims to support teen mothers by providing weekly classes on goal-setting, reproductive health, healthy relationships, career development, anger management, and more. The young women, many of whom bring their children to the afternoon sessions, are enrolled in the program because they want more information and resources about delaying their second pregnancy until they have completed their education. They are paid $10 per class and given a cash bonus for completing their coursework.
One-third of young women in the United States who become mothers before age 17 have a second child within two years. But only 4% of Teen Success graduates have another child within the same time frame. “These girls are extremely motivated to create better lives for themselves and their children,” says Planned Parenthood educator, Marcy Clayson.
“They know that the poverty rate for children of teen mothers is nearly twice that of other kids. They understand that there are some very real obstacles they face as teen mothers and are determined to beat the odds and create a positive, healthy environment for their children.”
One of the ways Teen Success promotes sexual health is by offering education and no-cost testing for STDs. Chrissy Cmorik, Planned Parenthood Program Manager, says that during Get Yourself Tested Month, the girls decided to watch the movie “I’m Positive,” which follows HIV-positive patients, and discuss protecting themselves against infection. “There’s a lot to talk about with this film,” says Cmorik. “Healthy relationships, broaching difficult topics, there’s a great deal here we can learn from.”
The benefits of Teen Success go beyond pregnancy and STD prevention. There is a sense of camaraderie that can only be shared by people who face the same issues. “It’s so hard sometimes,” a young woman says tearing up. “My grandfather is all, like, you got yourself in this, now you got to work it out.” She begins to cry as Cmorik races over to hug her. Another mother wells with tears; the others look on quietly, understanding. “People think things about you because you have a baby,” she explains. “But they don’t know who I am and the truth about me.” The young mothers nod in agreement.
Another young woman picks up her gregarious toddler and places him on her lap. “It isn’t always easy,” she says, then smiles at her son. “What’s the best part of it? Him.”