To help support, empower and provide resources to Lynwood Unified’s pregnant and parenting teens as they continue their education, the District, in partnership with El Nido Family Centers and the City of Lynwood, will host a Pregnant and Parenting Teen Symposium on May 22.
Spearheaded by LUSD Board President Briseida Gonzalez and Lynwood Mayor Aide Castro, the event is aimed at encouraging pregnant and parenting teens to continue their pursuits of college and career and connect them with the resources they need to reach their goals.
The symposium will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 at Bateman Hall, 11331 Ernestine Ave., Lynwood.
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“We are bringing together teen moms and dads to inspire and motivate them to invest in being a strong parent and role model for their children going forward,” Gonzalez said. “Despite the difficult circumstances in which these students are finding themselves in, they need to know that they are also entitled to a quality education and that we are here to help them along the way.”
The keynote will be delivered by Castro, a former teen mom who understands the struggles that these teens are contending with.
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“Having been a teen parent myself, I know the confusion and the hurt that one goes through because of the lack of family support – one feels excluded from the world,” Castro said. “It doesn’t happen all of the time, but for those who feel that they are alone, we should be here to show them that they are not. It’s important that people know that with the right support and resources, these teens don’t have to continue being statistics.”
To bring awareness to National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, the symposium will include 60 pregnant and parenting teens who will partake in workshops addressing concerns they may have, including co-parenting, health information and stress management.
The conference will include sessions on academic advisement and higher education and career options, as well as a college and career resource fair. There will also be a panel discussion of current and former teen parents who can speak to their struggles and successes.
“We really want them to be filled with the message that ‘You are where you are and there’s support and there’s a path for you to keep moving forward,’ ” said Student Services Coordinator Lorena Martinez-Vargas. “We want these kids to know that there is a place for them to go and that having children at an early age should not be a deterrent to finishing one’s education or being successful.”
To make the first-time event a success, LUSD is seeking donations of products and/or services that can be used to support the pregnant and parenting teens.
“It is our goal and priority to ensure that these young parents have access to quality education programs and support services that are critical to removing barriers to school success,” said LUSD Superintendent Paul Gothold. “Studies indicate that there is a close link between dropout rates and teen pregnancy, and it is our full expectation to provide students the resources they need to not only graduate high school, but pursue career and postsecondary goals.”
For more information, or to learn how to donate, please contact Lorena Martinez-Vargas at lvmartinez@lynwood.k12.ca.us or (310) 886-1458.
