Me a Statistic.....I Think Not!!!

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Angela S. Coaxum-Young, Favor Academy of Excellence, Inc.Follow

First Presenter's Institution

Favor Academy of Excellence, Inc.

First Presenter’s Email Address

N/A

First Presenter's Brief Biography

N/A

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

NA

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Sloane

Strand #1

Family & Community

Strand #2

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Relevance

The proposal recognizes the importance of resource programs and their impact on community sustainability. Favor Academy of Excellence (FAE) was built with a specific population in mind: teenage parents. Teen parents are often deemed students in at-risk situations due to the priorities placed on their lives that mostly involve raising their child(ren). As a result, the FAE program was created to encourage educational completion with this sensitive population. The program has successfully survived for over five years due to strategic decisions and a relevant program design (with the teen parent in mind). The tenets of the program focus on academic achievement, the family as a whole and holistic support. The proposal is in direct support of two of the conference strands.

Brief Program Description

The session will identify barriers that are often cited by teenage parents as deterents from educational completion. We will also discuss key needs for teenage parents in pursuit of education, successful program designs, the importance of mentorship and holistic support methods. A brief mini-documentary will be shown that reveals the vulnerabilities of teen parents and the diligence toward pursuit of their diploma. The implications for practice is to decrease teenage parent drop out rates by encouraging academic pursuit and designing a supportive well-rounded program for this demographic.

Summary

(1)Participants will walk away with target areas and methods to assist and support teenage mothers and fathers. (2)Participants will become knowledgeable with statistical data as it relates to education completion and it’s impact on local and state governments. (3) Participants will learn how to inspire and compel teenage parents to recommit to education. They will also learn more about the success of Favor Academy and how it has:

• Improved attendance rates
• Increased graduation rates
• Decreased drop-out rates
• Provided a system of support to student via mentors and organization staff
• Offer academic tutorials and a comprehensive night school program
• Increased parental involvement

Evidence

Children of Adolescent Parents (1996) found that school-based programs provide a potential for early intervention, before a teen parent drops out;

Interventions after receipt of welfare are less effective;

Providing services on-site may achieve more positive outcomes than programs that do not provide services in schools

Research on Ohio's Learning, Earning and Parenting Program (LEAP) Program suggests that efforts in the state aimed at increasing the attendance and retention of teen parents were most effective when child care and case management services were provided on site (Bloom,1993; Chira, 1994).

Learning Objective 1

N/A

Learning Objective 2

N/A

Learning Objective 3

N/A

Biographical Sketch

Angela Coaxum-Young has consistently advocated for teen parents encouraging them to excel, even against the obstacles they are faced with. She has created several programs that many school districts have adopted to help decrease the drop-out rates among At-Risk teens. She is constantly pushing them to their highest levels and reminding them of their need to succeed. The success of the Favor Program which has two tailored components that include: Rising Legends (for teen mothers) and Boys 2 Men (for teen fathers), has propelled Angela Coaxum-Young to push forward with her goal to lessen the gap between teen parents and the national drop-out rate.

Angela Coaxum-Young is a youth empowerment conference speaker, an active community leader and a visionary who has championed the cause of teen pregnancy and higher education. She continues to build relationships with people, organizations and educational facilities to develop a team that will ensure the success of these students. Her motto: “Anything Perceivable, Is Achievable, so Think HIGHER!!!” is a well known motto for all of her former students. She continuously asks the question “What’s Next?” to teen parents to establish a dialogue about their future. She established the first Teenage Parent Academic Center in Atlanta, Ga and has actively advocated for educational support for the teenage parents all over Georgia.

Angela Coaxum-Young received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University. She continued her studies, receiving a Masters of Science in Education – Specializing in the Administration of Educational Programs. She furthered her education at Georgia College and State University, where she earned a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. Angela Coaxum-Young is also a currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education in the area of Educational Leadership at Georgia Southern University.

Angela Coaxum-Young is married to SFC Travis Young, Sr. and they have four beautiful children together.

Keyword Descriptors

Teenage Mothers, Teenage Fathers, Students in at risk environments, vulnerable populations, economically disadvantaged

Presentation Year

2017

Start Date

3-7-2017 2:45 PM

End Date

3-7-2017 4:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Coaxum-Young, Angela S., "Me a Statistic.....I Think Not!!!" (2017). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 61.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2017/2017/61