SHARE:  
January 2024
News, updates and perspectives on the
future of education from Learn4Life
Can Mentoring in High School Keep Teens Out of Gangs?
Some kids may be fascinated by the gang lifestyle and love the rush and adrenaline of breaking the law, according to Robert Ontiveros, former gang member and CEO of Community Wraparound, a nonprofit in San Diego that focuses on mentoring to keep teens out of gangs.
 
While the average age that a teen joins a gang is 15, cities around the country are seeing younger and younger kids being recruited into gangs – some as young as nine. Why? Younger children may be more susceptible to the draw of a gang, and the criminal penalties for juveniles are much less so they are enlisted to do more serious crimes and reduce the risk for the gang.
 
“Many times, a gang gives young people a sense of belonging and respect – something they’re not getting anywhere else in their life,” said Ontiveros.
Shardae Was Determined to Prove People They Were Wrong
People close to Shardae told her she would never graduate high school – and she knows that they might have been right if she had not discovered our school. Her biggest challenge to overcome at her previous school was a lack of motivation. She didn’t do well sitting in classrooms all day, so our flexible schedule and ability to learn at her own speed was ideal for Shardae.
 
“I could go at my own pace and work on the subjects I needed. That really motivated me,” she said. “The whole school staff was so helpful with everything. The advice, the tutoring…everything was perfect. I appreciate them so much for helping me get my high school diploma while embedding real life skills along with school skills.”
 
Shardae graduated this year, got her driver's license, enrolled at a Community College and is looking for a job that gives her time to attend school. Her goal is to become a school social worker, own her own home and car, and make wise investments.
 
She wants to remind other high school students to never give up.
 
“Use your resources to get help. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” Shardae said. “The world is yours and you can do anything you believe.”
Parent Involvement Is Critical for Student Success 
What is the one thing above all others that determines how successful a student will be in high school? Study after study show that it is parental involvement. Students with supportive parents are 81 percent more likely to graduate, 44 percent more likely to attend post-secondary education, and they earn higher grades and miss fewer days of school.
 
The teachers and school counselors at Learn4Life take a holistic approach with students and their parents. Too often, parents of high schoolers don’t really know how their child is doing academically and emotionally. So, we create an individual learning plan for each student, and we include parents in decisions about their child’s education.
 
Read more to learn some good New Year’s resolutions for parents of teens.