Teen pregnancy is not just a phenomenon that is sweeping the nation; it is a crisis that is restricting the potential of the African-American community. It robs African-American teens of their youth while forcing them to become an adult at an early age. Research has shown that teen pregnancy accounts for a significant amount of death within the African-American culture. In fact, the Center for Disease control reports that pregnancy and childbirth is the 6th leading cause of death for African-American females between 15-19 years old! For teenagers who do not die from bearing children while they themselves are still children, education becomes secondary to raising children. This becomes the norm when we don’t “Think Back, Look Back, Come Back and Give Back.” Ignoring our problems does not make them go away; it only exacerbates them. Let us support education; the time is now!
In an effort to better serve our students, BAS has come up with two goals that can only be achieved through a community effort. Our first goal is to raise $1 million for the BAS Endowed Scholarships. We do not want to have to turn down another student that needs financial assistance. Our second goal is $3 million to build an African-American center on campus. We want our students to have a place that they can call home on “The Hill!!!”Please support the BAS Challenge Scholarship and, together, we can change these statistics! These students are our future and are a reflection of us. Let’s help them achieve and become all that they can!
