Crittenton Services of Greater Washington’s new report gives voice to teen girls and shares local, regional, and national data on the challenges teen girls face today.
“This report verifies what educators across the country have seen with our own eyes. Our girls who live in challenging circumstances need us to stand up for them! The obstacles of poverty, racism, lack of health care and housing can affect their lives forever. Equity in educational access and opportunity is a justice issue. Educators are thankful to Crittenton for this important report.”
Lily Eskelsen Garcia
President, National Education Association
Background
At the end of 2017 school year, Crittenton Services of Greater Washington embarked on a journey to understand more clearly, why the girls we serve consistently identify the same challenges year after year. We listened intently during numerous focus groups of teen girls. We gathered local, regional, and national research to deepen our understanding. We searched for the root causes and solutions for the significant challenges girls and young women living in Wards 5, 7, and 8 face in their communities.
Through this effort, we sought to answer two questions:
What are the major barriers to academic success for girls living in communities of concentrated disadvantage?
What can be done to reduce those barriers?
Goals
- Understand the landscape in which DC girls learn.
- Share what we learned with others working with teen girls, funders, policymakers, and community groups.
- Invite collaboration and co-creation for solutions that create the necessary changes in policies, practices, and culture.
We are ready to share our findings and invite all who care about our community’s teen girls to join us in true collaboration and co-creation with girls. Together we will focus on real world solutions that engage all stakeholders.
RESOURCES
Contact amyers@crittentonservices.org if interested in getting more involved.