Washington, D.C. has more at-risk youth than almost every state in the nation, according to a new study looking at "idle and disconnected" youth across the U.S.
The report, which was released Wednesday by WalletHub, cites poverty and homelessness among other factors going into that number two ranking. It shows Louisiana is the only state with more at-risk youth than D.C.
The report ranked the District second in the nation in youth drug use, first in youth poverty, first in homeless youth and sixth for youth detainment and incarceration. Despite this alarming statistic I still believe our youth have a chance to succeed through mentoring and organized sports. It is believed that youth having a positive role model such as a mentor helps them in developing interpersonal skills, increasing self-confidence, community involvement, and teaches valuable skills such as goal-setting and decision-making which improve academic and career performance. They find more self-confidence, self esteem, and are able to create big goals for themselves. Additionally, studies show that behavior, attitudes, and relationships improve when a youth has a mentor. ... Being a mentor is a rewarding experience that allows us to be the person our younger selves needed. Mentoring is important, not only because of the knowledge and skills students can learn from mentors, but also because mentoring provides professional socialization and personal support to facilitate success in graduate school and beyond. Quality mentoring greatly enhances students' chances for success. #realtalkpodcast
