Frustration

18.

the number of Chicago public school students that have died this school year as a result of homicides.



8%

the number of Chicago public high school freshmen graduate from a four-year college by their mid-20s (YES, that is 8 percent)



55.1%.

number of kids who are sexually active in Chicago



64%.

the number of teen mothers who complete high school or get a GED


9 seconds.

the amount of time in America a student becomes a dropout.



52.2%

the graduation rate in Chicago.


14.

the number of times more likely that an african american will be the victim of homicide than any other racial group.


70%.

the number of black males who grow up with out a father in their home.


5.

The number of students injured/killed just in the past weekend.


38.6% .

percent of teen pregnancies in chicago


500.
the number of Chicago Public Schools students that are suspended each school day


20.1%.

the percent of Beidler students (school where most of my kids go) who passed the ISAT test last year.


780,000.

ESTIMATED number of gang members in US.


15.

the age of the killer in the most recent school shooting (shot an 18 year old boy as he was walking out of school a few days ago)


These numbers are REAL, people. This is the reason I get up and go to work everyday. This is the reason I live in this neighborhood. Children are killing children. Youth are dropping out of school. Young boys are joining gangs, young girls are getting pregnant.

This is real stuff...a child shouldn't have to say - "IF i grow up"...Being able to play in a park or walk down the street should not be the goal of a child. These are not goals. Going to college, getting a job – those are the goals our children should have.

Do we really live in a society that thinks...out of sight, out of mind?

Do we really live in a society that values the right to bear arms over the lives of our children?

Do we really live in a society that advocates "protection and prevention" over abstinence?

Do we really live in a society where there are more black 18 year old men in jail than there are graduating high school?

Do we really live in a society that allows the public school system that teaches testing...not knowledge?



WHAT CAN I DO? SCREAM IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS? THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. IF WE DON'T HELP THEM NOW...WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T TEACH, MENTOR, TUTOR, COACH, LOVE...OUR CHILDREN...WHO WILL? NO ONE. THATS WHO.

CHANGE THE WORLD...ONE CHILD AT A TIME.

GOD BLESS