mentorship

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE that we have a “fatherhood crisis” today in the United States. About one-third of children in the United States live without their biological father; 2 out of 3 African American children live in “father-absent” homes.

It’s a big change over 50 years; in 1960, only 11% of children lived in “father-absent” homes. Search the internet for “fatherhood” and you come up with a lot of efforts aimed at keeping dads more involved in their kids lives – the National Fatherhood Initiative, the National Center for Fathering. It all adds up to a Fatherhood movement.

Kids These Days! contributor Jessica Cochran set out to find out about Alaska’s fatherhood movement.

Links from this story: National Fatherhood Initiative media;
National Center for Fathering; Alaska parenting classes; a previous KTD story from Jessica on Southcentral Foundation's Family Wellness Warriors initiative
 

Josh Shipp grew up in  foster care and now travels the country helping teens make good decisions

A LOT CHANGES during adolescence - the brain is evolving, puberty has taken hold, and something else that's shifting is an adolescent's sphere of influence - sorry mom and dad, you're no longer the number one voice of reason. Anyone who has parented a teen knows well the communication gap that starts to widen right about middle school, but there are ways to continuing connecting.

Josh Shipp is a 30-year old teen behavior expert, author and TV show host whose work is all about "getting through to teens". He's been called "Dr. Phil for teens" and the "teen whisperer".

He shared some of his "getting through" strategies with KTD producer Sarah Gonzales on a recent one-day visit to Anchorage.

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Stephanie Burgoon with Snickers the porcupine

STEPHANIE BURGOON OR "Ms. B" saw the hydroponic equipment confiscated from a drug bust in her small town of Whittier, Alaska as an opportunity to help one of her struggling students grow into something beautiful. A teacher at the Whittier Community School, she asked for the equipment, got it, then helped student Joey Lipscomb on his way to growing healthy foods that the whole town now enjoys.

KTD host Shana Sheehy has this installment in our Power of One series, highlighting those who make a big difference in the lives of kids.

Do you know of someone who is making a big difference in the lives of Alaska's kids? If so, nominate them for a Power of One profile on Kids These Days! by writing to us.