Young Parents And Continuing Education

IN FLORIDA, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE NEARLY 12,000 TEEN BIRTH STATE. 5 AND FOR YOUNG MOTHERS, BALANCING SCHOOL AND BEING A NEW PARENT CAN SEEM LIKE A DAUNTING TASK. WGCU’S CULTURE AND CONNECTIONS REPORTER ELIZABETH ANDARGE LEARNED ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO MAKE SURE TEEN MOMS HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO BUILD TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE. >> ALL THE TEEN HERE, I'M PROUD OF THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THAT BEEN STOPPING THEM FROM BLOCKING THE STAGE OF THE STAFF OF THE FROM GET EDUCATIONS. LET THIS STOP WOMEN FROM ANYTHING WHAT THEY WANT TO BE WHERE THEY WANT TO DO. >> MICHELLE HEMINGWAY KNOWS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT. SHE WAS 19 WHEN SHE GOT PREGNANT. NOW SHE'S WATCHING HER OWN DAUGHTER. GO THROUGH IT KALANI ALSO IS 15 OLDEST SIBLING IN HER FAMILY. A SINGLE MOM AND SHE HAD HER DAUGHTER AT 14 WHEN SHE FOUND OUT SHE WAS PREGNANT. HER FIRST TASK WAS BREAKING THE NEWS TO MOM. >> ALICE THING THAT SHE WILL KICK ME OUT. SO SKIP TOWN. >> HEMINGWAY WAS SHOCKED, ANGRY AT FIRST, BUT SHE NEVER LEFT >> IT WAS KIND OF ROUGH, BUT I WANT TO BREAK DOWN AS A PARENT AND THEN SHE HAD A BABY. SHE SAY I DON'T WANT THE BABY AND MORE, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT IT THE SUPPORT HER AND BE THERE FOR AS LONG AS HER FAMILY AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO SUPPORT HAITI SHOW HER IS BILL K. >> THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM IS EXACTLY WHAT THE YOUNG PARENTS EDUCATION PROGRAM IS BUILT AROUND. STUDENT STRUCK THEIR BABIES OFF AT THE DAY CARE CENTER. NEWBORNS TODDLERS, NO AGE RESTRICTION, THEN HEAD TO CLASSROOMS. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING. TEACHERS HELPED GUIDE THROUGH SELF-PACED ONLINE COURSE WORK. THE STUDENTS STILL HAVE TO PASS STANDARDIZED TESTS FOR A DIPLOMA. KIMANI MALLORY WAS 18. HER SON JUST TURNED ONE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRADE SCHOOL NEXT DOOR. SHE'LL GRADUATE WITH HER DIPLOMA. THEN CONTINUE ON TO EARN A WELDING CERTIFICATION. >> I REALLY SAY TO GRADUATE BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WHERE I'D LIKE WAS VERY DISCOURAGED ABOUT SCHOOL AND I DROPPED OUT AND I CAME BACK SOME LIKE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GRADUALLY. >> THE PROGRAM HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH HARRY CHAPIN, FOOD BANK TO CREATE A PANTRY IN MANY WAYS. IT REFLECTS THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, REMOVE AS MANY BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE. SO THESE YOUNG WOMEN CAN KEEP MOVING FORWARD. >> THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN TAX FOR THAT. THEY DON'T DO THINK PRETTY MUCH SPOIL THE GIVE US LIKE ANYTHING. ONE. WE HAVE A PANTRY FULL OF SNACKS INFLOWS INTO THE RESOURCES. THE IT'S PRETTY NICE TO LIKE HATE. >> BRITTANY VASQUEZ IS 16, CAMILLA IS 7 MONTHS OLD. SHE'S RAISING HER ALONE. >> I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE A PARTNER OF THE LAND. TURNS OUT IT WAS HIM WAS IN THE PERSON. I THOUGHT WAS A PERSON THAT. HAD A TO FACE. YOU CAN SAY, BUT I HAVE MY MY HOW MY PARENTS, MY DAD TO GET DEPORTED A MOMENT NOW. >> IT'S A BABY. SHE TRANSFERRED HERE NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT. >> LONG. A LOT OF FRIENDS. IT WAS HARD. I'M A PART OF IT IS LEAVING MY TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD SOME SOME TEACHERS HOUR. VERY CLOSE. LIKE I COULD TELL THEM ANYTHING. AND THEN WE JUST HOPE WE CAN. BUT IT WAS HARD TO SEPARATE FUND. THEN THE I GOT HERE AND I HAVE BETTER TEACHERS. THAT WAS THAT WILL HOLD ME. TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. BE A PART OF MY JOURNEY. >> IN LEE COUNTY WHERE TEEN BIRTH RATES ALREADY OUTPACED THE STATE AND THE NATION. THE SALE MOTHERS ARE STILL HERE. STILL SHOWING UP THE PIECE IN THE NEXT ROOM. DIPLOMAS WITHIN REACH. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THE PROGRAM, THAT'S NOT ASKING THEM TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE 2 OF >> AND THEY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WRONG. BUT YOU'RE REALLY NOT. YOU HAVE FRIENDS TO COUNT ON. IF YOU COME HERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TEACHERS. HAVE DIAPERS WIPES. YOU HAVE HOPE YOU HAVE HOPE DO. WE DON'T HAVE A CLINTON YOURSELF. >> FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M ELIZABETH ANDARGE.