Generation Hope: Change a Life, Change a Generation

I’d like to share my experience with Generation Hope.  It is an incredible organization, founded by Nicole Lynn Lewis.                                                      

I first met Nicole Lewis in 2011. We crossed paths at a conference called “Promoting What Works”, which addressed teen pregnancy prevention.  It wasn’t long before Nicole asked me to coffee in order to share her vision for a program which would help teen moms (and dads) to fulfill their dream of achieving a college degree.  I was well aware that the statistics on teen parents achieving college degrees were quite dismal.  In fact, only about 2% of teen parents will obtain a college degree by age 30.  This is just one of many obstacles that very young parents face. Too often, they become mired lives consisting of low paying jobs, economic disadvantage, and difficulties with children who suffer increased health, emotional, and educational problems.  

The main goal of Generation Hope is “Reducing Poverty One Family at a Time by providing direct and One-On-One Mentoring to Teen Parents who are pursuing college degrees in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area.”  It is the only community-based nonprofit organization solely focusing on college completion for teen parents in the D.C. area and is a rarity across the United States.  Nicole, It’s founder was named a 2014 CNN Hero and the organization has been recognized by The Washington Post, “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” and “The Steve Harvey Show” for its innovative work.  

As sponsors, we provide emotional and/or financial support and serve as a “cheerleader of sorts” for youth who rarely have anyone else filling that role.  GH provides financial assistance and career planning for college, tutoring, educational in-services on a wide range of topics, and networking events with other sponsors and students (aka scholars).

When asked to describe Generation Hope, Nicole says,

“The day I graduated from college as a teen mother, I felt three things.  One, a tremendous sense of accomplishment, two, a realization that I needed a job, and three, an overwhelming desire to help other teen parents become college graduates too.  For the past six years, Generation Hope has reached more than 400 teen parents through our programming with the goal of getting them to and through college.  In just this short time, we have confirmed what we already believed — that teen parents have enormous potential and a resiliency to overcome daunting odds. Our scholars are attending outstanding two and four-year colleges, such as Montgomery College and the George Mason University.  They share two commonalities — a commitment to being the very best parent that they can be and a sincere desire to succeed. 

I have no doubt that we are empowering the next generation of nurses, doctors, teachers, etc., that our community needs.  They are also the role models that their children need, leaving footsteps to follow when it comes to their own academic success.

As long as we have the capacity to do so, Generation Hope plans to add a new class to the Scholar Program each year.  We want every teen parent in the D.C. area who desires a college degree to have the opportunity to earn one.”

As for me, I’m currently a sponsor for Lilliany. She’s a very lovely young woman (pictured in photo above).  She got pregnant with Eli at age 16, moved out of her parent’s home into a two bedroom apartment with her partner’s mother.  Today, three years later, Lilliany is a thriving nursing student at the University of Maryland.  She married her baby’s father (not the norm) and they still live with his mother.  Despite the rigor of being a very young mother and wife, attending college fulltime, and helping to run a household, Lilliany maintains a B average and looks forward to every day with an infectious smile and a heart full of gratitude.

Every relationship between a Generation Hope sponsor and scholar is different.  I don’t try to be her mother, or even confident.  I’m just there, when she needs someone to talk to or “bounce ideas off”.  I try to “troubleshoot” for potential problems like a particularly difficult class where a tutor might be needed.  Sometimes, it’s just about “checking in” to see how things are going, letting her know that I’m invested in her success, or getting together for lunch.

I can truly speak from the heart and my own personal experience when I say that this organization not only helps its scholars, but provides caring professionals a way to “give back” to their community.  Generation Hope sponsors can be individuals or groups.  I can attest that it’s a wonderful experience that allows sponsors to receive as much as they give.

Learn more about Generation Hope at www.generationhope.org.  Their 2016 Gala will be held on Friday, June 24, 2016.  It’s always a blast.  Please let me know if you’re interested in attending this year by email at [email protected].