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Learn4Life highlights National Parents’ Day to remind us of the importance of the parent voice in educational decisions that impact students LOS ANGELES (July 25, 2022) – Did you know the fourth Sunday of July is National Parents' Day? President Clinton established this day in 1994 to promote responsible parenting and to recognize positive parental role models. And shouldn’t parents’ role in education be a part of this designation? While we rely on parents to make sure their children go to...

Learn4Life high school students participate in a culinary skills career technical education course and Camryn (pictured below), shows off the baking creation she made during class. National Culinary Month highlights the importance of teaching foodservice and cooking skills to high schoolers who make up a big part of the restaurant industry workforce. LOS ANGELES (July 8, 2022) – Why does it take so long to get your order when you go out to eat? The number one problem is a decline in...

Maddy R. had a tough childhood, being in foster care, living with various relatives and the ensuing trauma and anxiety that left her feeling lost. “Striving for academic success was the only thing that kept me alive for many years and Learn4Life sort of became my way out,” she explained. “I got the one-on-one time and patience that I needed and deserved. I had to learn that it was okay to ask for help.” Now, Maddy is helping current students learn that important life skill. After graduating...

We know that 200,000 teen girls give birth every year in the U.S., but what about the other half of the equation – the 200,000 fathers? Unfortunately, only about 33 percent of fathers under 18 stick around to help raise the child. When you consider that 70% of those teen moms don’t graduate – it’s not hard to imagine why. For Father’s Day, we are spotlighting one teen dad who takes his role seriously and is actively parenting his child. Meet Ricky C., 19, who brings his 4-month-old son to...

The transition to high school from junior high was challenging for Serina. The schoolwork became more demanding, and her teachers weren’t giving her what she needed . “Starting high school changed my perspective. Everything got harder and nobody tried to understand where I needed the help. The teachers just wanted to get through the class,” said Serina, age 17, who continued to struggle at her previous school. When she first came to Learn4Life, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her...

Have you ever eaten green chicken? Taken cold showers with other people and been locked in a cell 16 hours a day? That was just part of the horror for Ali N., 15 years old and serving time in juvenile hall. He had been running with the wrong crowd and got arrested and sentenced to probation at home. Rather than changing his behavior, he cut off his ankle monitor and went back to getting into trouble. He was re-arrested and had to serve several months in juvenile hall. “It was just horrible,...

It's hard to overstate the disruptive impact the pandemic has had on people. Its effect on mental health is a big one, and for teenagers, that hit particularly hard. Kathleen Ethier knows this well. She leads the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which this month published a survey that points to some very grim findings. From January to June 2021, CDC researchers collected data on the behaviors and experiences of 7,705 public and...

The Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says personal finance lessons should be mandatory in our schools, and we certainly agree. Learn4Life has been teaching financial literacy to its high school students for the past seven years. Currently only 21 states mandate financial classes in high schools and only a few more require them available as elective courses. During Financial Literacy Month, it’s important to note that graduates of high schools with financial education are less likely to...

It was a chance meeting that brought Hayley Rico to Learn4Life. She was 17 years old, taking care of herself and her little brother because their parents who suffered from addiction were unable to properly provide for them. She had been kicked out of school for not attending regularly and was turned away from other schools because she had no permanent address to provide. Hayley happened to be at a community services event, and that evening two staff members from Learn4Life were there to talk...

ncreasingly, workplaces and those in education are trying to familiarize themselves with the term “neurodiversity.” So, what exactly is it -- and why is it becoming a hot topic for many? Below are five key questions in regards to neurodiversity, with insight from Dr. Susanne Bruyere, professor of disability studies in the Industrial Labor Relations School at Cornell University. What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity is a concept all about differences in the brain, that cause people to...

It has been a pleasure meeting with many of you to learn more about your community and work. Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Craig and Dana from Learn4Life. Learn4Life gives students control of their learning! Students enjoy personalized learning through one-on-one attention in a safe, secure learning environment. They currently serve over 60,000 students nationally who are primarily in high school. To learn more about this remarkable cooperative member, you can visit...

Two years ago this month, schools closed their doors in 185 countries. According to UNESCO , roughly 9 out of 10 schoolchildren worldwide were out of school. It would soon be the biggest, longest interruption in schooling since formal education became the norm in wealthier countries in the late 19th century. At the time, I spoke with several experts in the field of research known as "education in emergencies." They gave their predictions for the long-term implications of school closures in...