The Woodlands Lifestyles & Homes magazine Sep 2009: Scholarship Awards to Teen Moms

Montgomery County United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council held its annual meeting in August at Americas restaurant in The Woodlands. Among those in attendance were five high school students who are parents of children under 5 years old and want to go on to higher education. These young women were awarded scholarships to assist in child care expenses so they can pursue their goals. Students who received scholarships are: Artesia Power, Conroe High School; Sarah Large, Caney Creek High School; Danielle Sala, The Woodlands High School, Sandra M. Cruz, Conroe High School, and Kristina Hardin, Conroe High School.

“The Women’s Leadership Council wanted to assist with a local need where we had a chance of making a very big impact ” said Darcy Mingoia, executive director for the Lone Star College Foundation and a WLC council member. She also said “Any time a nonprofit organization can connect directly with someone in need, it certainly creates a lot more passion in the lives of the council members. ” Being in a college environment, herself, she realizes these young mothers have many financial barriers. “If they can scrape enough money together for tuition, they still have to buy books, pay for child care and transportation. If we can assist with the child care expenses, they can seek higher education so that their financial condition is improved in their lives and the lives of their children. ”

Lynda Matthews, CISD professional parent education program specialist, said, “These scholarships are a huge opportunity. This will

MCUW’s Women’s Leadership Council awarded “Helping You Help Them” scholarships to aid in child care expenses for young mothers seeking higher education: (l-r) Lynda Matthews; scholarship winners Danielle Sala, Sarah Large, Sandra Cruz; Lucinda Owen, president of WLC; and scholarship winner Kristina Hardin. Not pictured: scholarship winner Artesia Power, who was attending freshman orientation at Texas A &M University.

be one less roadblock in their lives to pursue higher education. Already, these women showed such great promise in high school. They have excellent attendance records, have maintained high grades and have been very involved in extra-curricular activities. Artesia Power was in the top 10 percent of her class. ”

WLC raised $28,000 last year in the membership drive. Part of the funds support MCUW ’s Success By 6, an early childhood initiative to ready children for school by age 6. The “Helping You Help Them” scholarship program is the new signature project of the group. Women’s Leadership Council is a growing network of women in leadership who enlist energy, talent and passion through the “Power of the Purse.” Their primary focus is the funding and support of both public school related and independent programs that serve young children and their families in Montgomery County. For more information regarding involvement in WLC, contact Tia Decker at 936-760-4179, ext. 267.