Lacey is one of our Life Coaches. She is pictured with one of our moms from the Maya Angelou School for teenage mothers. Lacey and “mom” have spent a lot of one-on-one time together this past year. They connected from the very first day they met. Mom was still expecting then, and in fact, they made a deal that mom would have her little one on Lacey’s birthday… and she did! (her due date was 2 days before Lacey’s birthday )

Our young ladies at Maya Angelou are not just there because they got pregnant, but because they got pregnant AND want to complete high school. At Maya, the girls can focus on their work and the road ahead without the judgement of their peers and the additional pressures from their traditional school. As you can imagine, they have to figure some things out rather quickly to ensure a positive future for themself and their baby. That is where we come in, as a sounding board, an anchor, and as a consistent influence.

We are also there for our students outside of the school building. Whether the day is punctuated by the challenges of schoolwork, home life, social distancing, or social distress, we are dedicated to helping them process and proceed forward.  When they “need a minute,” WE ARE THERE, and we take a minute. So there is Lacey, holding mom’s new little one for the first time. And what I love about this picture is that you don’t see challenges or desperation, just the joy of two friends connecting. This is what it looks like to walk beside OUR youth. 

THANK YOU and BLESS YOU!