Empowering young girls to feel good about who they are and to make healthy choices.
Kids raising kids has been an issue in Jackson for decades. Most teen moms rely on public assistance, they don’t receive support from their baby’s father and the majority of teen moms do not finish high school or get a GED. While they are struggling to care for their child, teen moms are left poorly qualified to enter the job market.
The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) facilitates the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) and the Teen Advisor Council (TAC) in Jackson County. These programs work together to promote positive self-image, communication between teens and parents, help teach our youth effective life management goals and help them recognize achievable goals.
Teens that complete the experience are succeeding in school and have a lower risk of teen pregnancy.
The teens that are volunteering their time with the TAC program are impacting Jackson County. Hadleigh Buchler is an excellent example of teens making a positive impact. Hadleigh has volunteered with TAC for 5 years.
Youth Volunteer of the Year Hadleigh Buchler with her parents Scott & Janelle
She is passionate about empowering girls to feel good about who they are and making healthy choices. Because of her work with TPPI and the impact she has made in Jackson County, Hadleigh was selected as United Way of Jackson County’s Youth Volunteer of the Year back in December.