A Place for Hope

7/30/2019 A Place for Hope

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Jocelyn Partee

WRD 110

Essay 2 (2-day extension)

4/30/13

A Place for Hope

Plain red brick, tired little faces eyes closed, emotionless tired from the 2

hours of sleep they were able to get the night before. This is how I would describe

the girls of South Park T.A.P.P. as they enter the school early in the morning. My

space analysis was over the school South Park T.A.P.P. which stands for teenage

parent program. In Louisville Kentucky there are two of these schools South Park

as well as Westport. These schools are here to help teenage mothers complete high

school. Having a child at a young age can be difficult what T.A.P.P. is able to do is

give these young women a place they feel safe somewhat like a home away from

home.

The outside of the school can be somewhat deceiving even though it is a

alternative school it used to be an elementary school. They left the playground in

the back for the little kids to play on. On the outside walking up it has red brick a

sign the reads Georgia Taffee and a flag like most schools. There are flowers


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outside and cars all around. South Park T.A.P.P. is located in Fairdale, Kentucky

right outside of Louisville. Inside there are low ceilings to your right there is the

banquet hall/cafeteria to your left there is an area which houses three offices the

secretary the vice principle and the principle. After looking that area there is a long

hallway to the left with two large swinging doors thats the daycare where kids ages

0-4 all go. The daycare staffs all greet the girls and their babies with smiling faces

and open arms. Back at the front of the building there are there is a long hallway

straight ahead that is where all the classes are with the exception of the child

development class which is beside the daycare.

At both South Park and Westport the school provides classes for girls as

young as 11 all the way up to 21. Everyone at the school has a different story and

background. The youngest girl to ever attend South Park was 11. Some of the girls

who go here live in foster homes. Some have gotten pregnant from rape. Some

dont even have a home which is why at T.A.P.P. there are social workers whose job

is to help these girls through their tough situations. Last year a group of girls from

both South Park and Westport went to the capital of Frankfort, Kentucky to ask

legislators to continue to fund their S.M.A.R.T. program

http://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-

testimonythey told of what T.A.P.P. has done for them along with how it has helped

in change their lives. With these testimonies from the girls and the help from

representative Larry Clark who has been a huge supporter of T.A.P.P. the

S.M.A.R.T. program was given enough funding for the next 4 years.
http://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimony


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(Above is an image of the T.A.P.P. check ceremony with principle Mrs. York

holding the check for $455,800.00).

For me when I first found out about South Park T.A.P.P. it was when I was

16 years old and 6 months pregnant with my son. I had never heard of a school like

this anywhere else my mother suggested I go here to finish school and a went and

said okay. My first impressions were I dont want to be here it was a new school

with people I didnt know and I was nervous and scared. It would come to be that

without T.A.P.P. I wouldnt be where I am today. The teachers were amazing and

really cared about us and our grades and futures more than we did at times. They

pushed us and stayed on us until we achieved what we never knew we could. This

school wasnt just school it was my second home and the teachers and students

became my second family. At T.A.P.P. you were able to build a bond with girls who

were in your same situation. Many of them which I address as my sisters because

that is what they were and still are. At South Park T.A.P.P. you were in a place

where you knew when you dropped your baby off in the morning he/she would be


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safe and well taken care of. You could see your child throughout the day and still

able to get a full high school education.

Within T.A.P.P. there were many programs you could participate in such as

FBLA, and S.M.A.R.T. when I attended T.A.P.P. I was the president of FBLA (

future business leaders of America)

(Above is a picture of the girls of T.A.P.P. who were in FBLA 2010-2011. Image

came from my personal Facebook page).

S.M.A.R.T. which stands for (Science, Math, Art, and the right Technology)

was a major part of T.A.P.P. This program with in T.A.P.P. was able to touch and

help so many girls. What S.M.A.R.T. does is help you see what can be in the future


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and helps you reach your goals. It was able to give you field trips to colleges all

around Louisville and also schools in Lexington, Indiana, and Cincinnati. The

requirements to be in this program were that you had to have at least a 2.5 G.P.A.

you also had to have a good attitude and want to go to college or do something after

you graduate to better yourself. Within this program there would be seminars were

they would bring in people to motivate you. Many of the women who were brought

in were graduates of T.A.P.P. as well as college graduates for me there were two

women I specifically remember because one was a lawyer and the other was a

professor at JCTC. Seeing woman like that who had attended T.A.P.P. and were

still able to finish school and make careers for themselves was inspiring.

(Above is an image of girls in the smart program the picture to the far left is

the girls at a S.M.A.R.T. meeting and the image in the middle is the girls on a visit

to the University of Kentucky).

One of the girls who I interviewed for my essay attended T.A.P.P. from 2011-

2012 her name is Kimmie Chan. Kimmie got pregnant at 15 years old with a boy

Kayden Chan. After finding out her stepfather kicked her out with a 1 month old

baby and no place to go with her father in China she moved to Fairdale, Kentucky.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=south+park+tapp+smart+program&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=WgCbyckxhxmO4M&tbnid=VVOxWNTQFEAlmM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/special/Tapp/Pages/SPTappSMART.html&ei=leR_UajnPIir2wXo34DYAQ&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNGMF5HNktxTverTIz1svwd5_HQd4A&ust=1367422439468247


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Her aunt gave her a trailer to stay in with her baby and her boyfriend and then she

started T.A.P.P. She had moved to Fairdale, Kentucky from Hamptons, NY and

had no idea a school like T.A.P.P. existed. While attending T.A.P.P. Kimmie was

able to keep a 4.0. G.P.A. and upon graduation was given a full scholarship to

Spaulding University. She received $1500.00 in scholarships from the S.M.A.R.T.

program and started school in the fall of 2012. When I asked her what T.A.P.P. did

for her she saidwithout T.A.P.P.? I probably would not have graduated. I had

been put down by so many in my life including my dad that it had started getting

difficult to pick myself up. T.A.P.P. made me believe in myself again

. (To the left is an image of me and

Kimmie in class at South Park T.A.P.P.)(image came from my personal Facebook

page).


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If you attend T.A.P.P. then most likely you are going to hear about the

S.M.A.R.T program and if you are fortunate enough to get into the S.M.A.R.T

program then you will hear about one parent Scholar House which resides in both

Louisville and Lexington, Ky. This is a place that provides housing to single

parents while they attend school full time. When I was at T.A.P.P. and found out

about One Parent Scholar House I only hoped that I would get in since I attended

T.A.P.P. and was a part of S.M.A.R.T. which works very closely with O.P.S.H after

graduation I was one of the few girls who was given an apartment. Actually I was

the only girl from T.A.P.P. who was given an apartment at the scholar house in

Lexington. In my perspective scholar house is very similar to T.A.P.P. in which

they provide you with free child care while youre in school full time getting your

education they also give you an apartment which you can stay in for up to 5 years

until you graduate.


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(Above is an image of my neighbor Valentine and her son giving a speech on

One Parent Scholar House at a luncheon/fundraiser. Coach Calipari beside her is

one of the people who donated to O.P.S.H)

One Parent Scholar House, S.M.A.R.T., and South Park T.A.P.P. really all go

hand in hand is what I learned not only from going there and being a part of all

three programs but also from doing some research. Because If you are a single

mother trying to get a high school degree and striving to go to college in Kentucky

then you most likely will learn about all three of these programs as I did. With the

help of T.A.P.P. and the teachers, counselors, and principle I have been able to do
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=one+parent+scholar+house&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=yDeXzvOguZQUzM&tbnid=tKnvb7tXJMHFUM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/2012-05-17-opsh/7251131780/&ei=iul_UaWQNKLx2AXoiYCoDg&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNEu1WCbViz5FHqDpsIbuSih0mjRog&ust=1367423746191168


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many things I would have never imagined.

(Above is an image of the graduation ceremony at T.A.P.P. the girls including

myself on the far bottom left all wear pink caps and gowns since pink is the school

color at T.A.P.P. image came from my personal Facebook page).


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(The image on the left is me and

Rodnica Polen after the graduation ceremony at Fairdale High school we both

attended T.A.P.P. image came from my personal Facebook page).

You might be thinking what makes T.A.P.P. so different from any other

school? Well unlike Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant. Even though many of the

girls are young the lives of the girls on these shows are often at times over

dramatized. Most of the time a girl gets pregnant drops out of school and stays at

home with her child. Or ends of getting her G.E.D. and attending a community

college even though these might seem true for some a majority of the girls at

T.A.P.P. and striving for something different. They push themselves each day to be

better role models for their children. The reason most reality shows are so popular

is because they are stretching reality to make it more entertaining for the public. If

you ever have the opportunity to go to T.A.P.P. you will see the amazing things


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these young women are accomplishing and the amazing things this school is able to

help these young women do its extraordinary.

One of my good friends and former T.A.P.P. student Jessica Mitchum

recently joined to army and is currently in boot camp. Mitchum went to a Catholic

school before getting pregnant and was a cheerleader. After getting pregnant at 16

she came to T.A.P.P. after graduation she decided she wasnt going to go straight to

college however after some thinking she decided to join the army serve her country

and make an amazing example for her daughter Natalie. When I asked her what

T.A.P.P. did for her she saidit made me stronger and even though it wasnt

always easy it really helped me better myself.

(Above are two images of Jessica and her daughter Natalie, images came

from my personal Facebook page).


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When you see people achieving great things it usually makes you want to do

better. At T.A.P.P. we had so many role models and strong women to look up to you

couldnt help but want to do better for yourself. The change you see in not only

yourself but of the girls around you from the time you first enter T.A.P.P. to the day

you graduate is phenomenal. You see that all of the nagging and pushing the

teachers gave you was really because they knew what you could achieve even when

all you wanted to do was drop out and quit. I saw many girls do that and give up

but T.A.P.P. made me a stronger person.

Some things you hear before coming to T.A.P.P. is that all they do is color all

day. That we take naps and just basically sit around and do nothing. Kids from

other schools would say you have it easy, you dont do anything their we get all

the hard work. In reality that was far from true in fact the girls who attend

T.A.P.P. have a much more difficult time than any normal high school kid. Not only

did we give up a teenage years to have a child or children but they/we are still

continuing are education even on sometimes just 3 hours of sleep from being up

with a baby all night, These girls are still at school in that classroom everyday

making something of themselves. For those who think that all these girls do is color

they actually are in phycology, and calculus classes as well as AP physics and AP

English which no matter what school you attend are still difficult classes. I know

for a fact that by attending T.A.P.P. I was more prepared for college then some of

the people I know who graduated from magnet schools. The teachers at T.A.P.P.

dont try to make things easier for you their job is to get you to see that even though


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youve had a child/children you can still do the same amount of work if not harder

work than someone in a different predicament.

For someone who knows nothing about T.A.P.P. I feel that if you took the

time to research and find out about this space your idea of this place that you might

have already had in your head would be completely changed. For almost every teen

girl I know including myself I would say that no one ever expects or thinks they will

be a teen parent. You might feel as if your world will be over. The feelings that

might come up might be those of shame, guilt, sadness, and depression. What I

learned and what I think others can learn is that your life is not over when you

have a child its just beginning. The people of T.A.P.P. are well aware of this and

they know that whatever you want to do if you set your mind to it, it can be

accomplished. They encourage you every step along the way they want the best for

you for anyone who thinks that teen parents arent able to do what they can because

of their child your wrong. With the help of O.P.S.H you can go to school, even study

abroad with your child by your side. At times it might seem hard but life isnt

supposed to be a cake walk its how you persevere through the difficult times that

make you a better and stronger person.


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Works Cited:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2012-05-17-opsh/7251131780/

http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-

presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-

school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250

http://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimony

http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/Special/Tapp/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2012-05-17-opsh/7251131780/http://www.flickr.com/photos/2012-05-17-opsh/7251131780/http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/Special/Tapp/index.htmlhttp://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/Special/Tapp/index.htmlhttp://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/Special/Tapp/index.htmlhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://www.wave3.com/story/16591889/teenage-parent-program-gives-emotional-testimonyhttp://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://keeplarryclark.com/2012/09/26/representative-larry-clark-presents-funds-to-south-park-tapp-school/?doing_wp_cron=1367334268.7142300605773925781250http://www.flickr.com/photos/2012-05-17-opsh/7251131780/

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