It's what I am all about . . .

It's that time of year --you know, when school winds down and the transitions to what's next begin.

Some time ago, as part of my school service, I spent one day a week at the Young Parent Program (YPP) as the counselor. It was the goal of the school's administrator to increase graduation rates and assist students in owning their own education, graduating, and planning for their future (mom and child). I seemed a likely counselor to fill the order. It was clearly one of the more challenging experiences of my professional and personal life.

The program enrolls 95-105 young women -- some with children and some with children on the way. Although pregnant teens can attend their home high school, the YPP is sometimes more appealing because of it's child care component. The young girls can take their babies to class from weeks to 6 months and then early head start takes over from there.

I have been away from the school on a regular basis for a couple of years. But I am invited to their annual "graduation brunch" each year. It was today. There are 35 graduates this year -- a record! The graduation brunch program was awesome -- four graduates spoke about their struggles and successes and school. Their messages were awe-inspiring. The featured adult speaker was Judge Andy Valdez, and his remarks were awesome and very fitting. He shared his story of growing up in a single parent home and how his mother cleaned houses, worked in a bar, and did other odd jobs just to pay the bills and take care of her kids and made huge efforts to show them how important their education was to her. He challenged the girls to do the same -- that their own education and making sure their children were taken care of and educated was a top priority. He challenged them to stay away from prison -- visiting boyfriends and fathers of their children is no better than doing time themselves. He complimented the girls on the hope he saw in their eyes and encouraged them to keep it alive.

When I spent my time at the YPP -- I had a message on the white board in my little office there that I took from President Hinckley. It went something like -- "If we lose a young woman, we lose generations." I truly believe that a program like YP can help in saving young girls and we can only hope that its impact on their lives while there is lasting.