PITTSBURGH \u2014 Many people think a teen pregnancy is the end of educational hopes and dreams. But Pittsburgh Public Schools is getting real about making sure that\u2019s not the case. The school offers a program that is beating the odds, 100% of the time.<\/p>\n
Inside a building on the Southside is a store, filled to the brim with items for babies and toddlers. It\u2019s not your average store; it\u2019s a Baby Bucks store. It\u2019s part of the ELECT Teen Program within PPS and other schools within the city limits. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe ELECT Teen Parenting Program is an acronym. It stands for Education Leading to Employment and Career Training,\u201d explained Carolyn Rychick, who is the director of Pregnant and Parenting Teen Services.<\/p>\n
The program is for teen moms and dads.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it is my job to make sure that they are getting prenatal care, parenting skills, and that they stay in school,\u201d Rychick added.<\/p>\n
Rychick works with five case managers who are inside the schools. Students come to the program through referrals. They meet with them, do some paperwork, and help them come up with a childcare plan.<\/p>\n
Rychick said, once the babies are born, \u201cThe parents are given an overnight bag to have with them while they\u2019re at the hospital, a diaper bag that is filled with supplies, a car seat to make sure that they get home safely, and a pack-and-play for safe sleep so they are not sleeping with mom or dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now back to the store filled with toys, learning aids and baby items. The only currency that flows through its doors is called \u201cBaby Bucks\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of what we provide the students is our Baby Buck Store. Students earn Baby Bucks for good grades, improved grades, good attendance, improved attendance, successful home visits, you name it. If they help another student out, they earn Baby Bucks. And they\u2019re able to use them in our Baby Buck Store, which has brand new items in it,\u201d Rychick said.<\/p>\n
Some of the items are donated, others are bought on sale, all with the help of organizations and stores throughout our area. <\/p>\n
One local church also pitches in.<\/p>\n
\u201cNewlongsburg Presbyterian Church crochets us baby blankets. So, in every diaper bag, we provide a baby blanket and a hat for our students, and you will see some amazing works of art,\u201d Rychick said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to give every single one of our students a baby blanket.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program works with the teen parents up to 210 days after they graduate, making sure they have housing and a plan. Right now, Rychick has more than 40 kids locally enrolled in the program.<\/p>\n
Rychick is ecstatic about the success the program is seeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the past three years, we have had a 100% graduation rate for our students. We also had a 100% postponing secondary pregnancy. We want to make sure that, okay, you had a child, let\u2019s postpone the next one until after you\u2019ve graduated. So this past year and last year we had a 100% postponing secondary pregnancy,\u201d Rychick said.<\/p>\n
The program also offers summer programs, holiday parties and more for the teen moms, dads and babies who are enrolled.<\/p>\n
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