Teen Moms Find Their Blessings

By Ashlyne Wilson and Alexis Oswald

Finding out that you’re pregnant as a teenager is a hard pill to swallow. It’s even harder when you’re pregnant with no financial stability, transportation or even a loving family to support you and your child. This is a problem that many teenage girls face every day. Out of all of the industrialized western countries, America has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies, averaging up to 820,000 a year. In Ohio, every 62 out of 1,000 births are from teenage mothers.

Because of the financial and emotional burden of being a teen mother, many students drop out of high school after giving birth. Statistics show that only 33 percent of teen moms in end up getting their diploma.

Stephanie Gardner decided not to be a part of that 33 percent by finishing high school even after finding out she was pregnant. Faced with no emotional or financial support from her family, Gardner had to find a way to take care of her baby on her own.

That’s when she was told about a program in Kent that could help her pay for childcare and help her finish school. With Blessings, being a teenage mother didn’t end her life, it gave her a new one.

“When I first got involved in the program I was very insecure and had my guard up. It was hard for me to trust people and I didn’t have that many loving influences in my life so I was kind of standoffish,” she said. “[Blessings] taught me how to be a better mother, how to be a better follower of Christ and how to give back to people.”

Blessings is a faith-based program in Kent that has helped almost 40 teenage mothers in Portage and Summit County pay for childcare for the full 36 week academic school year, and teaches them skills like money management, organization and how to help others. Since 1995, Blessings has provided mothers of the program the emotional and financial support to achieve the ultimate goal of completing high school even with a child.

The program was started after members of the GRADS (Graduation, Reality and Dual Role Skills) Advisory Committee of the Six District Compact saw how many girls dropped out of high school after giving birth.

“We had girls dropping out of school because they can’t pay for childcare,” said Jeanette Abell, the discipleship coordinator of Blessings and former GRADS teacher. “So we decided to create a program that would give girls paid childcare until they graduate.”

The money that the organization uses to pay for childcare is made by donations from individuals, businesses, churches and other Portage County organizations. Blessings also provides participants with mentors, religious support and sense of community and loving support.

But before getting the help they need, participants have to follow certain requirements upon entering the program.

“We ask the girls to attend a Bible-believing church on Sundays, meet with their mentors once a week, go to school every day and keep their grades up, then they get a check made out directly to the daycare,” says Abell.

There is a limit of seven girls that the program can support at one time, and the most they have had is five. Since the program is so small, members of the board are toying with the idea of expansion.

“We’ve been asked to grow into other areas outside of Portage and Summit County,” says Abell. “The problem with that is we really want the girls to understand family and have a meal together. If you get too far out it’s way too far for girls in the middle of winter to come to Kent. We’re looking for options right now.”

No wonder there is talk about expansion. Looking at where Gardner started six years ago to where she is now, it is easy to see why so many people support this program. Since starting with Blessings, Gardner has graduated from Stow High School and is a junior Criminal Justice major at Kent State University. She is living a much better life for herself, and her son Andre.

“I would’ve still figured out a way to graduate probably with online schooling, but I don’t think I would be where I am in life as far as my relationship with God, in college, or getting my life together [without Blessings],” she said. “There were so many encouraging and supportive people that showed me so much love that I wasn’t getting from my family. It made me want to achieve and better myself. I would like to see more programs like this around the country.”

For more on this story check out Alexis Oswald’s audio story on Blessings.

And for more information on Blessings, check out their website.