Unlike some teen mothers of years past, who were often shunned by society or sent away to have their babies, Adrienne said she feels she has plenty of options and support to help her graduate from high school.
"When I found out I was pregnant, it made me want to work harder in school - and life," said Adrienne, who requested her last name not be published. "I plan to finish high school, then get a job and go to school to become a paralegal."
Courtney McVey, director of the YWCA teen home, said Adrienne's optimism isn't uncommon for expectant mothers; however, new moms often find themselves overwhelmed once the baby arrives.
"When you choose to become a parent, you can't do it by yourself. Having support is key to the success of young parents," McVey said, adding that teens sometimes find themselves living in an unsafe environment, or they become transient as they move from their parents' home and live with friends, family members or parents of the father.
"Here at the YWCA we help young mothers learn life skills, job skills and parenting skills - in addition to graduating from high school," said McVey.
"Research proves that staying in school and continuing their education is one of the most important factors for young parents to succeed," she said.
Pregnant teens are not only faced with the physical changes happening to their bodies, but often don't know about available resources. Each Wasatch Front school district offers programs for pregnant teens, ranging from weekly classes to a full-time school schedule.
"They should use them for support," said McVey.
While Adrienne knows it will be challenging to finish school and become a mother, she said she feels prepared and is excited.
"I've always known I would be a good mom, and I'm going to prove everyone who said different wrong," she said.
tdeans@sltrib.com
This week's most-memorable teacher quote comes from Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen, who has fond memories of Clearfield High geology teacher Orion Benton.
"We were a little rowdy in class, but he joked and laughed with us," said Hansen. "Then he always found a way to teach us about the diversity of the geology in Utah.
"He told us we would learn to love rocks, and that was true. Now that comes in handy because it's easy to promote tourism in Utah because of the diverse geography."
* The Pregnancy Care Center - with locations in Davis County, Salt Lake City, Utah County and Brigham City - offers free pregnancy tests, as well as resources for expectant mothers. For more information, call 800-395-4357.
* The Davis County Health Department Baby Your Baby program helps expectant mothers obtain prenatal care, based on financial eligibility. The program also offers helpful resourses such as information on housing, schooling and nutrition programs. For more information, call 801-451-3317.
More resources
* Salt Lake City School District Resources: Pregnant teens who live in the Salt Lake City School District can call the Horizonte Instruction Center at 801-578-8574. The school offers classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as a nursery, child-development classes and vocational-development classes.
* Granite School District Resources: Pregnant teens in the Granite School District can call the Young Parent Program at 801-964-7628. The program offers various classes, including high school curriculum and life skills.
* The YWCA Teen Home is a residential program for pregnant teens who are having trouble at home, or live in an unsafe environment. Pregnant teens must enter the program before they turn 18. For more information, call 801-537-5510.
* The University of Utah Teen Mother and Child program helps pregnant teens obtain medical care throughout their pregnancy, and follow-up care until the baby turns 5. Financial counselors help teens apply for Medicaid and the Women's, Infants, and Children's (WIC) program.
For more information, call 801-581-3729.
* WIC is a supplemental-nutrition program that helps pregnant women learn about nutrition and eat healthy during pregnancy.
For more information call 877-WIC-KIDS (877-942-5437).
Need more info?
* Students or parents in the Jordan School District who would like to find out more about the young parents program should call Valley High School at 801-572-7035.
Most Memorable Teacher
Everyone has at least one teacher who stands out in their memory. It could be the teacher who used love and understanding to encourage students, or the teacher who used tough love and consequences in the classroom.
Interested to know what impact teachers have had on local leaders?
Each week the Class Act page will feature one community leader's memory of their favorite teacher, and why they feel the teacher motivated them.
This week's most-memorable teacher quote comes from Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen, who has fond memories of Clearfield High geology teacher Orion Benton.
"We were a little rowdy in class, but he joked and laughed with us," said Hansen. "Then he always found a way to teach us about the diversity of the geology in Utah.
"He told us we would learn to love rocks, and that was true. Now that comes in handy because it's easy to promote tourism in Utah because of the diverse geography."
