Easter Seals and First 5 San Bernardino Partner To Help Teen Parents Graduate

Child Development Center graduate Chadae and her son Marcus

In and out of foster care all her life, at age 15 Chadae Bell became pregnant, and at 16 she gave birth to her son Marcus. Determined to continue her education, she enrolled Marcus in the Easter Seals First 5 San Bernardino Program at Valley View High School in Ontario when he was 2 months old.

Since 2012, Easter Seals and First 5 San Bernardino have partnered in a program to provide child care services for teen parents at the Valley View Infant Center, located on the high school campus.  The unique program, run by Easter Seals since 2010, ensures children receive the best care possible as their parents continue their education.

Despite family issues that landed her back in foster care with Marcus, Chadae continued her education and used public transportation with her infant son to get back and forth to school.  In May Chadae graduated and this fall she will begin studying anthropology at the University of California, Riverside, where she will live on campus with 2-year-old Marcus.

“If it wasn’t for Easter Seals, I wouldn’t have been able to continue my education,” says Chadae.  “The staff at Easter Seals is like family to me.”

In the past three years, Valley View Infant Center has assisted dozens of teens in receiving their high school diploma.  A total of seven teens graduated from Valley View High School this year, and several more are on track to graduate in 2016.    

“Chadae benefitted from all that Easter Seals and First 5 have to offer by attending parenting workshops, meetings, and family events,” says Infant Center Director, Easter Seals’ Melanie Felix. “She is highly motivated to reach her fullest potential, and through hard work, dedication, and continuing her education we know she can do it.”

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