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Mentoring Young
Women
In the banner above, Young Women Aware students view objects invented by
African Americans at South View Middle School in Danville.
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Young Women Aware coordinator Brennon
Hightower (right) recognizes the importance of the program - she was once
a member herself. | Young Women Aware shows the students that education is a gateway to seeing
the world in a different way.
About 10 years ago, there was an alarming trend forming in Vermilion County -
a rise in teen pregnancy combined with a rise in high school drop-out rates.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 20 percent
of births in Vermilion County in the years of 1995-1996 were to teenage mothers.
During those same years, nearly 13 percent of all births in Illinois were to
teen mothers.
In response to this community need, Provena United Samaritans Medical Center
Foundation reached out to the local Big Brothers Big
Sisters organization,
and in October 1997, a unique partnership was formed. Young Women Aware is a
leadership program with three goals for its members - high school completion,
college entry and pregnancy prevention, with a focus on abstinence.
Young Women Aware started at Danville High School with weekly meetings and
other activities for any student interested in participating. In 2001, the
program grew to include North Ridge Middle School and South View Middle School
and eventually a similar program, Young Men Aware, was also formed. Funding
generated through the Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation
provides college scholarships each year to graduating seniors of the High School
who have participated in the program.
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A presenter speaks during a Young Women
Aware meeting. | According to Rose Henton, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Vermilion County, "Young Women Aware shows the students that education is a
gateway to seeing the world in a different way - getting pregnant is not the
only way to find fulfillment and someone to love." The program teaches students
to set goals so they have something to look forward to after high school.
Young Women Aware teaches students these lessons. Many meetings include
captivating guest speakers who help the young women think outside the box. Among
past presenters was a local female Sergeant, who talked with the young women
about police work and what it is like to work in a field dominated by men. The
young women also took a field trip to the Vermilion County Courthouse to meet
and observe a local female judge settle court cases and explain the
verdicts.
Young Women Aware also encourages students to take ownership of the program.
Some of the students contribute to the program's newsletter, conducting
interviews or writing stories, and others have even met with reporters from the
local media to enhance awareness in the community. These efforts develop the
students' communication skills and give them a sense of pride in what they are
doing, while educating the community about the successes of the program.
Many alumni return to meetings even after graduation. One noteworthy success
story is that of Brennon Hightower. She joined Young Women Aware as a student at
Danville High School because she was interested in the opportunities it
presented - volunteer opportunities, which were scarce in the community at the
time, and opportunities to see places she wouldn't otherwise get to see. With
Young Women Aware, she took a trip to Chicago and toured WGN studios.
Hightower credits the program with her decision to further her education,
first at Danville Area Community College then at Illinois State University, and
now at Franklin University where she is earning her bachelors degree. She wanted
to make sure the young women in her community were able to experience the same
opportunities she did, and is now the coordinator of the Young Women Aware
program.
"Students really appreciate the mentor/friend relationship that we've had
through this program, and that is something I really want to foster," Hightower
shares. "This program develops the students' self confidence in areas like
public speaking and many others, and helps them build positive relationships."
The Young Women Aware program has been extremely successful since its
inception, providing educational opportunities for more than 400 students,
impacting a drop in teen pregnancy rates and increasing high school graduation
rates in Vermilion County. In fact, one hundred percent of the participants of
Young Women Aware graduate from high school without becoming pregnant.
"We are addressing a pressing community crisis in terms of teen pregnancy,
while at the same time building self-esteem and encouraging participants to
dream big and become positive, productive community members," says Chad Hays,
Vice President of Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation. "The
results are a remarkable commentary on the power of our mission of building
communities of healing and hope, one life at a time."
"My hands can be supportive; my hands can give the steadiness that is
needed"
View Provena United Samaritans
Medical Center's 2006 fact sheet
(PDF).
Read the entire Provena
Health 2006 Community Benefit Annual
Report
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