Editor’s Note: One of the biggest issues facing the more than 1.7 million children of incarcerated parents in the United States is poor school performance. But those who succeed and graduate must navigate the complicated and frustrating college application process. Tanea Lundsford, 17, is a member of Project What, a leadership program that trains children of incarcerated parents to be advocates. This story was completed as part of the New America Media / YO! Youth Outlook Multimedia Education Reporting Fellowship for youth, funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
In a few weeks, I will be graduating at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater with approximately 160 other seniors from San Francisco’s School of the Arts. My mother, grandmothers, sisters and younger cousins will be there cheering. I will have a party at my house, invite all of my friends, eat until I can’t walk, and try to come to terms with the idea that I’m an adult. (I turn 18 the day before my graduation.) Everyone who has been an important influence in my life and education will be there to celebrate with me. My father will be in San Quentin waiting for us to send pictures of the event.
The number of children with an incarcerated parent in the United States is 1.7 million, a number that has been steadily increasing in the last few years. For this population, being successful in school is hard enough but the path to higher education can seem almost impossible. The children of incarcerated parents have been known to have trouble in a learning environment and are six times more likely than the regular child to be incarcerated as an adult. Now factor in one of the toughest times for college entry ever and a complicated financial aid and application process. It’s as though we were set up to fail.
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In a few weeks, I will be graduating at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater with approximately 160 other seniors from San Francisco’s School of the Arts. My mother, grandmothers, sisters and younger cousins will be there cheering. I will have a party at my house, invite all of my friends, eat until I can’t walk, and try to come to terms with the idea that I’m an adult. (I turn 18 the day before my graduation.) Everyone who has been an important influence in my life and education will be there to celebrate with me. My father will be in San Quentin waiting for us to send pictures of the event.
The number of children with an incarcerated parent in the United States is 1.7 million, a number that has been steadily increasing in the last few years. For this population, being successful in school is hard enough but the path to higher education can seem almost impossible. The children of incarcerated parents have been known to have trouble in a learning environment and are six times more likely than the regular child to be incarcerated as an adult. Now factor in one of the toughest times for college entry ever and a complicated financial aid and application process. It’s as though we were set up to fail.
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