Graduating from high school is a huge accomplishment! Many people don’t realize that it is an even bigger accomplishment for the teen moms and dads that we get to walk with in YoungLives. With a 50% dropout rate for teen moms in our county and seemingly many odds against them, year after year we celebrate the moms and dads that push through to the finish line! This year we celebrate with 17 teen moms and 3 teen dads that received their High School Diploma! Juggling childcare, a part or full-time job, and parenting a little life makes attending high school and passing classes all the more challenging. But these young men and women didn’t let those challenges get in their way! We are encouraged and inspired by their perseverance and we look forward to seeing all that God has in store for these individuals. I have had the opportunity to witness many of their stories firsthand and have no doubt that these young men and women are stepping into a wonderful future. This is only the beginning of what they will accomplish for themselves and for their little ones.

~Myrna Bittar