Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1991)
FEATURE February 13,1991 THE CLACKAMAS PRINT Page 3 Young parent opportunities program underway New program offers more than academics by Jennifer Soper News Editor Spending an hour at the Young Parent Opportunities Program (YPOP) can be likened to being surrounded by a sea of support Not only do the parents involved. have the help of the program staff, they have one another. The program, which is located in the Linsley House on the CCC campus, began full operations on Jan. 2. There are presently 15 young women enrolled and day care serv ices are being provided for 12 in fants and toddlers. “I was a teen parent so I’ve always had a.special interest in helping people be successful in their education and their parent ing,” explained Alternative Pro grams Department Chair and YPOP coordinator Rene’ Rathbum. “It’s really delightful to see that they have an avenue to be successful.” YPOP began with a grant from Great Start Funds. It is also funded through Adult and Family Serv ices (AFS) Welfare Reform mo nies, CCC, and Employment Train ing and Business Services reve nue. The program was formed because of a lack of services for teen parents in Clackamas County, said Rathbum. It is the only pro gram in the county that offers teen parents an opportunity to gain highschool completion credits or their general equivalency diploma (GED), child care, transportation to and from school for both the parent and children), pre-employ- ment training, and parenting/life skills classes. Barbara McDaniel, a 17 year old mother of two, hadn’t been in school for three years. She was — EARN $40,000 and more a year as a court reporter. Undecided about your career? Then check out the profes sion of court reporting where most positions are outside the courtroom and offer flexible hours, financial security and excellent employment oppor tunities. Call College of Legal Arts in Portland, 223-5100 or 1-800-342-3465. Financial Aid . available. Young moms are finding a place to learn, share common concerns, and spend time with their toddlers through the college's new Young Parent Opportunity Program. From left are participants Shari Thompson, Wendy Butler, Rae Pudwill, Kim Burkenbine and Michele Edwards. spending her days with her three year old daughter Crystal and eight month old daughter Patricia. She learned of the program through her AFS case worker. “I think it is a good program,” began McDaniel. “I don’t know if I would have gone back to school without it “I couldn’t afford the day care if it weren’t for the program,” continued McDaniel. McDaniel is one of two par ents enrolled in YPOP who just passed the first of five tests needed for her GED. Students attend the program Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The majority of them are single parents and live on their own. They are between 15 and 19 years old. The program is designed for up to 20 teen parents and will be housed in the new Family Resource Center. Half of those involved with the program are receiving monthly cash grants from AFS. EdMor-hkChM: Angela Wilson New« Editor: Jennifer Soper Feature Editor: Heidi Hoffman Sports Editor: Brenda Hodgen Photo Editor. Lane Scheideman Undecided about your ca reer? If you have 60 college credits, you may qualify to become a legal assistant in only 4 months. Assist attor neys in court, work with clients, be a valued member of the legal community. Enter into the respected and exciting world of the law. Become a professional now. Call Col- EXCITING JOBS IN ALASKA HIRING Men - Women. Summer/Year Round. Fishing, Canneries, Logging, Mining, Construction, Oil Companies. Skilled/Unskilled. Transportation $600 plus weekly. CALL NOWI 1-206-736-7000. Ext. B807 Cruise Ship Jobs HIRING Men - Women. Summer/ Year Round. PHOTOGRAPHERS. TOUR GUIDES, RECREATION PERSONNEL Excellent pay plus FREE travel. Caribbean, Hawaii, Bahamas, South Pacific, Mexico. CALL. NOW! Call refundable. 1206-736-7000, Ext.ca02 Copyeditor: Ron Jagodnik, Jr. Business Manager: Gregg Mayes Photographers: Kyle Moe Eric Sanders David VanKeuren Allan Ziemke Production Assistant: Tricia Schneider Ad Saleeman: Dan Champie Darkroom Tech: . Debbie Felix ' Cartoonist: Lorin Arendt Advisor: Linda Vogt The Clackamas Print alms to be a fair and impar tial newspaper covering the college community. Opinions expressed In The Clackamas Print do not necessarily reflect those of the college ad ministration, faculty or advertisers. The Clacka mas Print is a weekly publication , distributed every Wednesday except for finals week. The open advertising rate is $9.75 per column Inch. Clackamas Community College, 19600 S. Mo lalla Avenue, Oregon City, Oregon, 87045: Trailer IB. Telephone: 657-6958, ext 309 (office), ext. 1577 (advertising), ext 578 (production). The program has a full time case manager and counselor pro vided through the Mt. Hood Council of Camp Fire in addition to two full time instructors. Toni Krummenacker is re sponsible for screening applicants for the program. “There are an awful lot of people who need this service,” Krummenacker said. “We could double this easily.” One point she made was all the young women are in the pro gram because they chose to be. “We can’t force them to come here,” said Krummenacker. ’They have to want to.” There is a waiting list for those who want to be in the program. “This is not a program for someone who needs to just work on one GED test,” said Rathbum. “This is for those people who need the greatest number of services we offer.” Eighteen year old Lisa Long has a four month old son, Nicholis. She is in the program to earn high school completion credits. “The program is fun. It makes me feel good to know that I can go back and get my high school di ploma without wondering where Nicholis is going to be or if my day care is going to be reliable,” said Long. The academic program is designed as individual instruction. “It’s an alternative approach to education,” explained Instruc tor Linda Durham. “It’s really rewarding to see these girls come in here and then they go and pass a test and they’re jazzed!” said Durham. “It’s like it turns on a light they hadn’t ex pected of themselves before.” Instructor Mike Brady views the support the girls receive from one another as vital in their learn ing process. “The most important thing that is happening is these young women are networking with each other in forming social relation ships,” said Brady. Lorraine McGee, who is an 18 year old single parent, is in volved with YPOP to get her GED. Her two year old son Marcus at tends the day care center while she is in classes. “It’s nice to have friends who understand what, you’re going Rae Pudwill and son Bobby take a moment to relax during a recent day's events in the Young Parent Opportunity Program. through,” said McGee. “Some times you just want to hear what they have to say.” McGee said the young women are like a support group to one another because the friends they had before becoming parents don’t understand issues like babysitters and transportation problems. Kimberley Burkenbine is an 18 year old single parent to 13 month old Lanniecsa. She is plan ning on getting her-GED and hopes the pre-employment training of fered through the program will help her decide what kind of job she will look for in the future. “I’m thinking about college; I’m not sure though,” she said. “I might wait a couple of years until my daughter is in school. ' “Everydaylleamalittlebit,” Burkenbine explained. ‘Today I passed one of my GED tests. I. only have four more to go!” Durham is not surprised by the successes of her students. “I really see them as serious students. They are working hard,” said Durham. “I think that they’re looking more into the future. They see they have this child,” continued Durham. “I see them really pay ing more attention to how they live.” Part of the day for YPOP includes group discussions. Issues such as health care, case workers and day care are mentioned. “We’re not just cramming the academics,” said Durham. “We offer parenting and life skills, too.” All of the students involved seem to echo their support of thé program. T fed lucky I got into it There are a lot of people waiting,” said McDaniel. “My daughter loves it," McDaniel continued. “It’s like school to her here. They are teach ing her the a-b-c’s.” They try to do the best they can on taking care of our prob lems,” she said. “As soon as I’m done here I am going to go to school and try to be a medical assistant,” McDaniel said. Others have more short term hopes. “I can’t wait until he gets old enough towalkand talkand make his own decisions like ‘yes’ and ‘no,’” said Long of her son. McGee is waiting for her son to be talking more, too. “There’s one thing I can’t wait to hear him say: I love you,” McGee said. This is one program many people hope will not see the im pact of Ballot Measure 5. College President John Keyser said the program is one of the new pro gram initiatives thecolleges hopes to continue. “It’s a really good school,” said B u r kenb inè. “I hope it makes it.”
