A Smile is 100 times Prettier than a Snarl

Last night the group spoke about ways to stop the cycle of gang affiliation and gang violence and the consequences of involving yourselves and your children in the lifestyle.  Many of the members said it's a mindset and at a young age they are brainwashed to believe the actions supporting the gangs are the right actions to take.

We discussed how participating in the gangs could effect future goals and dreams the teens have, and how it could negatively effect the lives of their future children.  Many of the young people mentioned they will get out of the gangs when they want to, and when they move on to college.  I asked how their record could stop them from fulfilling their dreams.  While I meant the question to be rhetorical to those who have a record, many other young people mentioned their friends won't be able to move on as they wish.

We began discussing the generations younger, and how to prevent these children from being a part of the gang lifestyle.  Too many young people said it is impossible, that the parents and therefore their children will always be a part of gangs because that is the lifestyle they have lived in their whole lives.  They mentioned babies- babies as young as 2, as old as 8- "playing" like they were in a gang.  Babies saying they want to kill someone to know what it's like.  These babies are our future, everyone in the community's future, and they are being thrown into a lifestyle that will strip them of their baby years.  But the young people said this is the life they are brought into and it's impossible to change it.

I disagree, I emphatically disagree.  We are who we want to be, if we want to change, we can do it.  If we want to break the cycle bad enough, we can do it.  If you want to stop this lifestyle at your youth, your youth that was unfairly taken away from you, you can do it.  As I said last night, my five year old is a little girl, she is not five going on 15.  My efforts to keep her a baby are why she is not five going on 15.  Everyone that is surrounded by gangs, that is in the life now, has the ability to change with themselves, and therefore change with their babies.

How many people truly enjoy the stress of a gang lifestyle, how many people want to spend night after night worrying about what someone says about you, and how you have to go and set them straight?  Life is more enjoyable when arguing and anger are nearly non-existent.  But, our babies will not know that life is easier without violence unless we stop it.

Stop yelling at each other, stop hitting each other, stop shooting each other, stop threatening each other.  And STOP doing all of it to your babies; stop yelling at them, stop hitting them, stop teaching them that it's fun to kill someone.  It's unhealthy to treat them like your friends, it's unhealthy to teach them to behave violently, it's detrimental to the community, to your babies, and to yourself to continue this cycle.

I want to know, how can we help you to find other ways to talk to your children, to care for your children, to play with your children and to punish your children.  And how can we help you help your friends see there is a better life off of the streets.

Higher Education

Tonight I heard a number of the young people talking about higher education and reasons they are not wanting to go to college or are unable to go to college. One of the reasons was the cost of living and attending college is too high, and the benefits of a college education are too distant for these teens to notice. 

I want to help the teens get the information necessary to make them reconsider a higher education, whether it be a 2 year or 4 year college, votech/trade school, etc.  Advanced education is a foundation for success.  Every day things can be taken from us, we may lose a loved one, we may have our purse/wallet stolen, our identity stolen, we may lose confidence in a friend.  Education can never be taken away, no one can go inside our brains and delete the knowledge we have put there.  Tonight, when Miss Colleen asked the teens why they came to the meetings, more than one person said the knowledge they gained is what brought them back.  These teens know that information given to them is in their minds as long as they want to remember it.  The same goes for a higher education.

If the reason against attending higher education is money, then the knowledge I would like to provide is information on grants, loans, and scholarships.  The last thing graduating students should worry about is the expenses they will incur during college.  The income they will receive following college, the possibilities they will have following college, the assistance they can receive- from the government, from other corporations and organizations- during and after college can be endless if they work hard enough at their program.

I added a link connecting to the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA).  Students can complete this form and find out what types of loans and grants they qualify for.  The application walks applicants through the secure sight and sends the notice to the school(s) of their choice what amount they will be awarded. 

Another concern high school graduates sometimes have is lack of interest in school.  This is an issue that is more difficult to address.  One option is to consider a trade school, such as construction- electrical, carpentry, plumbing, automotive, cosmetology, massage therapy, etc.  These schools usually do not require as many years to attend, and are coupled with education of the field, and work experience while attending the school.  The ability to attend school while living at home sometimes relieves the stress of school expenses. 

Another consideration soon-to-be high school graduates need to have is the amount of lifetime earnings.  With a degree or trade school education, the income a person makes is greatly increased.  The information below, discussing the income is available at http://www.trade-schools-search.com/trade-schools-search-careers.html

• Did you know that the average “lifetime” earnings of a person with a 4 year trade school degrees is about $1,000,000 more than the earnings of a high school graduate; $800,000 more than a person with an AA degree?
• Did you know that earning your Masters Degree increases your lifetime earnings by about $500,000?
• And, an Associate Degree will provide an additional $300,000 more than the high school graduate! 

While school itself is an expense, it is a valuable expense.  The skills, education and often experience gained in school are paramount to the time and money spent at school.  Hopefully with this information, our youth, nationwide, that are leery of spending their time and money on themselves and their education will reconsider their reasons.

Teen Talk Volunteers

Thank you everyone for helping out, donating and serving at the spaghetti dinner for Haiti Relief on Friday January 26th.  The event was a great success and we hope that the donations earned assist those in Haiti. 

The disaster caused by the Haiti earthquake, and the pain and struggles of Haitians is an important lesson for our youth.  Beyond the earthquake, Haitians are in need of our help financially.  We hope that the attention brought to our neighbors to the south helps improve the difficulties they endure day in and day out. (Photo courtesy of Cricket Blog)

A new project we are considering in May is to join the Start! Heart Walk.  Start! Heart Walk is the American Heart Association annual walk to earn money for research and prevention of America's number one and number three killers, heart disease and stroke respectively.

Each year over 600 thousand men and women are diagnosed with heart disease with a monumental 5.8 million people suffering heart failure nationwide (CDC).  Within one year over one million men and women in America will have a heart attack (CDC).

Getting our teens walking will be a great way to promote physical activity, which is a start in the right direction to a healthy heart.  Along with their own heart health, having the teens talk with friends, family, and the community about assisting them with the walk will improve the health and knowledge of heart disease and stroke in our community. 

Michelle Obama has been reported to announce her work with preventing childhood obesity, a preventable cause of heart failure.  Teen Talk will have the opportunity to learn more about the causes, effects and preventative measures they can take and help their families and friends take by joining in this cause with the American Heart Association and Mrs. Obama's cause.  We hope to get the teens involved, and support from the community as we put their hearts first.