Anointed Women - Excelling, Surviving, Overcoming - Miracles of Endurance.
"Bridging the gap between Childhood and Womanhood"

Coordinator:
Tanesha Hollingshed

Target

This ministry caters to the needs of teenage girls between 13 and 19 years of age. We provide a listening ear, encouragement, a forum to discuss issues faced by teenage girls on a daily basis and to present positive alternatives and resolutions.

This ministry partners with The Promise House, which houses teenage runaways and at-risk teen girls. Every month The Promise House busses teen girls of many different races and ethnic backgrounds to the A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Ministry for Friday Night Live, which is a classroom interactive setting, facilitated by guest speakers with topics ranging from:

• Sex
• STDs
• Teenage Pregnancy
• The epidemic of Teen Dating Violence
• Drugs
• Health/Fitness
• Parenting
• Peer Pressure
• Esteem Issues
• Drop-Out Prevention and Recovery
• Higher Education and Career Planning

and other issues faced by teenage girls on a daily basis.

Friday Night Live provides the residents of The Promise House as well as neighborhood teens with a positive, fun and motivational outlet.

Empirical Data:

(Teen Pregnancy) The United States has the highest teen birth rate among western industrialized countries and the highest levels of pregnancy among adolescents (Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004). While the rate of teen births is high throughout the country, Texas is one of the five leading states with the highest teen birth rates to mothers less than 18 years of age. Births to mothers aged between 10 and 19 years in North Central Texas counties was 7.4 percent of all Texas births in 2005, (Texas Department of Health). The increasing number of teen births and the associated costs of caring for a young dependent population can have serious economic and social repercussions for Texas. Of the 85 zip codes that make up Dallas County, teens living in zip code75209 held 102.3 live births per 1000 teens ranking 5th highest in the county. Neighboring zip code 75220 ranked 127.4 live births per 1000 teens ranking 3rd highest in Dallas County for teen births.( 2007 University of North Texas Research Publication.) For the class of 2003, the most recent year for which data are available, figures show that the overall graduation rate in Dallas was only 54%. The odds that a student entering the ninth grade in Dallas public schools will earn a regular diploma are hardly better than a coin toss. This horrific graduation rate is low even when compared to other large metro school districts. Of the 100 largest school districts in the United States, Dallas public schools rank 80th in overall graduation rate. (USA Today)

Projected outcome of intervention

It is the mission of the A.W.E.S.O.M.E Ministry is to stand as support system for young girls and provide them with tools and resources to make healthy choices for their lives.