The school’s official logo, along with their mission statement. photo courtesy of Florence Crittenton Official Website
Florence Crittenton High School is a school for pregnant and parenting teenage mothers that offers a safe and nurturing environment for not only the amazingly strong mothers who attend but their children as well.
For over 135 years, Florence Crittenton High School (FloCrit) has been an organization that has adapted to the needs of its students, further becoming a great tool for young women’s successes. Only about 40% of teen moms finish high school, so the school’s goal is to provide education for both the mom and the child. Florence Crittenton’s staff is extremely flexible and supportive; they understand how difficult it is for the moms at the school to juggle all of their responsibilities while still trying to maintain grades and get a diploma. High school is already difficult, stressful, and a lot of work, so Florence Crittenton is a place that is specifically designed to encourage and grow the astounding young minds of the mothers who attend.
The school is a place that allows for the young women to have a community of people around them who are having similar experiences. The ability to connect with and create friendships with others plays a huge part in being successful in any environment. The Florence Crittenton Campus serves as so much more than just a school for the families who go there; it serves as a resource center. The official website shows that their “facilities include family-friendly space for staff and community partners to provide educational and human services on-site; a gymnasium equipped with safe and appropriate fitness equipment for the whole family; an 11-passenger van to assist teen mothers and children with transportation.” A new location allows for students to earn a Denver Public School Diploma on-site.
FloCrit has a wonderful mental health program and staff, with a student and family support program of over 80 staff members. The staff works incredibly hard to be there from not only a traditional nine to five sense but also by always working around the clock to be a resource for the young women. The school offers art therapy, counseling, health services, and financial education. The official website shows that with the new campus there is also “an expanded and renovated Early Childhood Education Center for children of teen mothers ages six weeks through Pre-K; and the Alethia E. Morgan, MD Health Center—a school-based health center that offers both obstetrics and pediatrics.” The school has created a growth framework with a Skills Area (prioritizing education, emotional intelligence, positive relationships, navigating resources and advocacy, health and wellness, and lastly, parenting and early learning), along with Stages of Growth (stabilization, engagement, preparedness, and empowerment). This framework, along with the school, has adapted and changed throughout time to help improve the success of the young women at FloCrit.
When the school started over 135 years ago, it was a place where the mothers would be educated while pregnant, then once they had their kid, they would put them up for adoption. The school has made wonderful improvements, becoming a place where the mothers can flourish and not only learn how to be a better student but how to be a wonderful mom. The people who work there love the students and know that all of them have amazing potential and will work hard to get what they and their children need. Parenting teen expert Christine Watkins said, “I admire [the students’] resilience and their ability to be teenagers and moms at the same time. I also enjoy seeing how much they care about their children.” Florence Crittenton has plenty of amazing staff who have helped create the astonishing school that educates, prepares, and empowers teen mothers and their children.
