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Subscribe to RSSThe nonprofit Generation Hope is helping young moms afford a college education. NBC's Chris Jansing reports.
By Chris Jansing, NBC News correspondent
SPENCERVILLE -- Jennifer Ramirez remembers it so vividly: the excitement, at 15, of having her first boyfriend. Then the fear, when she found out she was pregnant.
"I was in the tenth grade,” she said. “And I remember when I found out, it took me at least, like, two weeks to tell my parents."
When she finally did tell them, they worried that Jennifer's dream of being the first person in her family to graduate college had ended.
"I had all these emotions going through myself. I didn't know what I was gonna do,” said Jennifer, who is now 23. “I was so worried about school. I was just really scared."
The odds were certainly against her. Less than two percent of girls who get pregnant before they turn 18 have a college degree by the age of 30. But Jennifer knew it wasn't just her future at stake, it was her newborn son's, too.
So she began the uphill journey -- to raise Jordan while working and getting her degree at the University of Maryland at College Park. She says it was daunting, even, at times, overwhelming. Then she heard about Generation Hope.
Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder of Generation Hope an organization that helps educate teen parents on achieving the dream of going to college.
The nonprofit is the brainchild and labor of love of Nicole Lynn Lewis, who was just a teenager herself when she got pregnant in 1998. But two and a half months after Nicole's baby girl was born, she started classes at William and Mary.
"And I was sitting in classrooms with, you know, people who were my age that were worried about, maybe the party that was going on Saturday night," recalled Nicole, who lives in Columbia, Md. “And I was concerned with, you know, what am I cooking for dinner? Am I gonna get to my daughter in time?
There were plenty of naysayers, who never thought she could pull it off. But four years later, Nicole graduated. Then, when she was 29 years old, she founded Generation Hope in March 2010 to help other pregnant teens do the same.
The first-ever class has seven teen girls, chosen from 12 applicants.
If they're attending a two year college they get $1,200 a year, for a four year school, it's $2,400. The very first application was from a girl who became pregnant at 12. "And that was a huge shock for all of us," Nicole said, still reeling from the memory. "It really brought home for me the need for our program. Because I can't see telling a young woman who's 12 years old that her life is now over.”
And that was the message Jennifer Ramirez needed to hear. She was willing to work to assure a better future for herself and her son. Generation Hope's scholarship definitely helped ease her financial burden. Still, it's the emotional burden, teen moms will tell you, that can be even worse. So Generation Hope matches each teen with a mentor.
Suzanne Simpson, 49, is not the kind of person Jennifer would usually come across; a lawyer and president of the Howard County women's bar association in Maryland. They both admit that the first time they met, they were both very nervous. Jennifer laughs now, remembering, "But when I saw her, she was wearing all this jewelry. And I was just, like, ‘Oh, we're a match made in heaven.’”
And it turns out, though they're more than 20 years apart, their sons are almost the same age. The boys play together. They talk. Jennifer calls Suzanne a role model. Suzanne says she gets back even more than what she gives. And there's a lesson for everyone in their story, young and old.
"Everything happens for a reason," said Jennifer, with wisdom beyond her years. "So, take the good, and the bad, and make it great."
And so she has. Jennifer will get her college degree later this month. In her heart, she said always knew she could do it. Generation hope made sure she didn't have to do it, alone.
Visit http://www.supportgenerationhope.org/ to learn more.
This is the kind of thing we do in my office.
I'm not a big fan of welfare programs and handouts but we use federal and state funds to help people get training and or college degrees to they can become self-supporting and get off of assistance.
Some of our success stories have been quite rewarding.
Good for Jennifer for having the drive to follow through!
While I think it is wonderful these women are bettering themselves, I would think they would qualify for all sorts of financial aid, the kind you never have to pay back anyhow.
I say no federal or state money to these sluts, just tell them to keep their legs closed next time
1. Generation Hope is a nonprofit charity, funded by donations. No federal or state money involved.
2. I'm sorry you're so angry because no woman will have sex with you.
What is wrong with supporting Planned Parenthood? Kids need birth control or morning after pills, and as a last resort abort the future welfare recipient.
Misscreant and cornmeal, you guys are spot on. It's good that she wanted to go to college, but what I don't understand is why she didn't get an early abortion or use proper birth control. And by that I mean condom + pill at the same time.
Still, I'm glad that she got the opportunity to be successful in life. Most teen moms aren't nearly as lucky and infinitely more stupid.
Spartan, not everyone believes in abortion, and birth control can fail. Also, not every woman can take hormone-based birth control.
I wish our society was better about adoption.
Z-Man, you are what is wrong with this country.
While abortions are emotionally and physically taxing, they still tend to be better than unwanted pregnancy and childbirth. Given the circumstances of nearly all teen moms (exceptions being theoretical cases where the teen mom is financially self-sufficient by the age of 18), attempting to raise the kid would be a highly irrational choice.
As a former single father, i have to ask, why is this only available for women??? I had to have my mother watch my son while i joined the army national guard in order to pay for my college. To think that such a program would have been available but UNavailable to me simply because i'm a man just doesn't seem right.
SpcTorres, I applaud you for being a man and not running away. You were at least honorable.
Financial burden and she's sporting an Apple laptop? Glad she's doing well, but you don't need aid if you buy an Apple product. Necessities vs. Wants.
There are programs that provide laptops to needy students. Computers are becoming more of a necessity. Some textbooks are no longer actual books.
But why a MacBook when you can buy something more powerful for the same price, or something as powerful for less? She needs a laptop, but not an overpriced piece of garbage that cannot be fixed easily.
Dang she looks hot, there are quicker and more "fun" ways she could "make money".
Yawn.............
I applaud these young women for pursuing an education. It is not easy, balancing work, school, and motherhood. I would know: As a young single parent, I put myself through school and now have a graduate degree. I did not have child support, or a solid support system of any kind. I did it by grit and determination. Today, i am my daughter's hero; she sees me as Wonder Woman...and for that, it is worth every sacrifice I have ever made.
This is why I'm FOR Child Labor. Make 'em go to school, come home & go to work. No time to fool around.
At under 18yrs old, its not "sex", its "Statutory Rape" depending on the state.
Most states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws which allow young couples to have sex if they're close enough in age. Those that don't often become the laughing stock of the nation and end up changing their laws so that kids don't end up having to register as sex offenders.
With more than 50% of college graduates unemployed or underemployed, they shouldn't get their hopes up too high.
Yeah, Mc Donald's isn't hiring now days. But the more kids you have the more money you make now days.
If they're attending a two year college they get $1,200 a year, for a four year school, it's $2,400.
What do your questions matter to what a privately funded nonprofit organization does with its donated money?
What about all the kids who abstain from sex? Who helps them? No one that's who. How nice we reward people for bad behavior.
Since girls who don't have children as teenagers go to college at a rate of 100 to 2, I would say someone or something is helping them along.
Another example of people getting rewarded for making bad choices. I guess the people that make good choices have to pay their own way.
Jennifer Ramirez never heard of a condom at age 15???? Way to go parents!!!
Condoms break. No where in the article did it say she didn't use any birth control when she got pregnant.
I know exactly how this young mother feels. I had two kids by the time I was 18 and the third when I was 25 (that one was planne). However, I was lucky and the dad of my two youngest children stood by me and took on the responsibility of my oldest. I will be graduating with my bachelor's degree from a private university next year and I work part time as well. School monday - friday, kids 24 hours a day and work on the weekends. It's tough work. I applaud this young lady. And who are you people to judge? I'm amaze to find so many perfect people on here...
I can't see telling a 12 year old that she's going to keep her baby. I would hope that she would have been taken out of the house that allowed or caused this to happen, even if the father of the baby was 12 or thereabouts. And if she was sneaking around behind her parents' backs, she sure wasn't responsible for her own life, let alone that of a baby.
Yet another misguided non-profit that rewards irresponsibility and poor life choices. I wonder how much further these funds would go if given to deserving individuals who are faced with adversity beyond their control.
How do you know that they weren't using birth control? It can fail. Not everyone believes in abortion. There are plenty of scholarships, given by nonprofits, that go to "deserving individuals who are faced with adversity beyond their control."
Per the article, only two percent of women, who get pregnant before eighteen, have a college degree by the age of thirty. Many of those women who don't go to college receive some kind of assistance. This nonprofit is helping to alleviate the burden on taxpayers, which could then free up more money for your "deserving individuals."
Yeah, why give them any chance in life? Better to have them on welfare, so you can b*tch about what a burden they are to the taxpayers.
They had their chances, blew them, and are now compensated for it. There are many who never had a chance, tried their best, and continue getting nothing.
I am glad that these girls were able to receive help, however I do not rewarding bad behavior. I worry that girls will feel that they can make bad decisions and there will not be consequences to their decisions.
The government may be able to "bail them out" for this need, but it has unintended consequences.
This story is about a nonprofit charity giving donated money to these girls. The government is not in this picture.
If a woman chooses not to have sex she is a prude, or mocked for being a 20, 25, 30 year old virgin. If a woman chooses to use birth control she is a slut. If a woman gets pregnant and decides to use emergency contraception or have an abortion she is evil. There is no winning for women. Interestingly the man is left out of all of this burden and social stigma.
I had my son at 17 during March of my senior year of high school. A prestigious, private, catholic high school. Today was the last day of my college career. As of 5/19/2012 I am a college graduate (magna cum laude). I have also been accepted into Teach For America and will be teaching secondary mathematics.
Not every teen who gets pregnant is stupid, evil, or looking for a handout. Of all the things leading to the deprivation teen parents face social stigma is the worst. All moms face the same hurdles, but teen moms are not allowed to have any support... because they are teens?
When it comes to the welfare argument there is much to be said. Attending a four year university full time does not qualify me (in the two states I have lived in) for child care assistance or food stamps (now called SNAP). The only way to get those benefits was to be working 20+ hours at a minimum wage job and living below the poverty limit. Welfare was intended to be a stepping stone, a hand up. Now it used when a person has given up.
The stigma associated with teen moms is unfairly placed. The stigma should be equally distributed to all teens who have sex; which is around 80%. Sex is the action, pregnancy is just a result. Deciding to keep the child is a sign of responsibility. I chose this path because I didn't feel I had the right to abort. (Don't let my catholic background fool you I am not catholic in the least). The rates of psychological care in children who were adopted is multiple times higher than children raised by their biological parents. And I knew I could love and educate my son more fully than any other person. Being the best parent is not based on money or age. It is based on tailoring yourself to your child's needs and developing them emotionally, intellectually, and morally.
Congrats to all the recent college graduates, and my love to the <2% of young mothers graduating out there! I stand tall and proud with you!
In my book, using birth control = being smart about having fun = awesome. The guy should be held responsible too, and getting an abortion isn't evil, especially if it was for practical reasons.
Then again, I'm one of the more rational people around.
I agree with you. I also deem birth control as being smart. I would also consider myself to be rational and analytical. How many 12 (wow that is young) to 17 year old high school students do you know to be fully rational though? The human brain does not stop developing till your twenties. A teen who does not use birth control can not be labeled, for the rest of their life, as stupid. They should be labeled a teen.
If you happen to follow the news though I'm sure you can see how women's reproductive choices are being scrutinized and stigmatized.
It's definitely sad that they're trying to outlaw even first trimester abortions in some places. I'm pro-choice, and while I can see how they might classify a third trimester fetus as a lifeform, it's impractical to say that life begins at conception. If you believe in that so be it, but don't force it upon others by making a law out of it.
Core values and principles along with personal responsibility and accountability are a thing they've tossed away for just a minute or two of personal gratification, well ------perhaps not even that long, usually it's pump,pump -----squirt! They don't even realize it takes $187,000 to raise a child today, no idea whatsoever and the taxpayer has another burden on their hands because these oversexed kids are allowed to just walk away.
They're undoubtedly stupid, but the government isn't paying for anything that's mentioned in this article.
I'm happy for anyone who can continue their education so that their job prospects are a little bit brighter, but this kind of bothers me. So if you make bad decisions, you're rewarded? What is up with these teenage girls getting pregnant? Have they never seen condoms at the store? Nobody can tell me that teens aren't getting some type of sex ed, either through their school, from their parents, the internet, or simply walking through Walgreens. And yes, I realize condoms can break. And yes, I realize BC can make you ill. Been there, done that. But good grief, be a little bit more responsible with your sex life. My mother never once had a discussion with me about sex, but I picked things up here and there, used that thing God gave me called a brain, and I've not had one scare.
But honestly, what about women (and men) who have made responsible decisions in this arena in their life? They don't qualify for any scholarship or grant for being cautious and responsible. But people who are irresponsible are given a better chance at succeeding? I think it's ridiculous.
And I agree with the earlier post about the Apple computer. If you're on aid and talking about how you can barely make it, don't be buying an expensive product. And yes, schools do have programs to help students get laptops. I can guarantee you, they will never supply them with Apple products. But if they ever do, let me know. I'll be the first to apply.
First of all, I am a fan of any individual who works hard to have a better life, be educated, and make a contribution to the community.
Having said that, this is not a story about going to college. This is a story to all the young girls out there: Stop spreading your legs so easily. That easy action in the moment makes your life harder than it needs to be.
And with all that said, I hear all of you who are complaining. Your taxes shouldn't have to pay for this sh1t.
Your taxes aren't paying for this "sh!t," as you put it. Generation Hope is a privately funded nonprofit organization. They give these grants out of money donated to them.
Somebody needs some education of their own.
Or rather, start being smart about sex. This applies to both girls and guys--if your partner refuses to have fun safely, deny them sex until they start being sensible.
I never denied my choices weren't "stupid." I use the term stupid loosely. I do not regret my decisions to have my children nor do I regret my foolish decision (at such a young age) to not wear protection or engage in abstinence. I also do not condone teenage pregnancy in any way. I'm basically stating my opinion on the fact that people are biased and judgmental on others without proper grounds to be so. Teenage girls make mistakes, have poor decision skills (obviously) and succumb to pressure by their peers. I believe that if a teenage mother wants to better herself, she shouldn't be pinpointed as someone who is on welfare, is "stupid," or is getting a hand out. It's a lot of hard work and dedication. I do believe that it is not impossible for a teenage mother to be an excellent, caring and nurturing mother, as well as successful in her future. HOWEVER I do believe that the statistics of 2:100 ratio of graduating teenage mothers is probably correct and I agree wholeheartedly that MOST teenage mothers are irresponsible, engage in activities that place their children in harms way, and do take longer to grow up because they miss out on their childhood and try desperately to get it back. I've seen it happen. I don't condone teenage pregnancy. I do believe young ladies should wait until they are married and should carry their sexual activity RESPONSIBLY. BUT I feel that those who have made mistakes, such as not using protection, birth control, etc, and are trying to better themselves for the future of their children, should be cut some slack and not sterotyped against. There are some young mothers who try their damnest to do whatever it takes to provide for their children. Let's face it, we're all human. We all do dumb crap. As for how I got by, it was luck. PURE luck. I met someone who supported me and eventually became my husband. Not all teenage girls - - - let's face it, a good proportion of teenage mothers - are not that lucky.
The article actually didn't bother me till I got to her comments about the others her age planning "to party". Yep, that's how it is, once you have kids, you're not on the party scene anymore. Kiddies, CONDOMS WORK - cut the crap. You just have to use 'em right. I had problems with hormonal in young adulthood and learned. If a guy doesn't love you enough to use 'em right, then he isn't someone you should be with. For those screaming "discrimination" against motherhood - EVERYONE gets discriminated against for some reason. Either give up the child for adoption or suck it up and deal with it. that said, this being a private charity, they can support whomever they want - no one else's business.