BLUE CARPET RELEASE OF “PRECIOUS” IN DENVER SPOTLIGHTS PARENT PATHWAYS' SERVICES TO TEEN MOMS

Like Precious, Florence Crittenton School Students Demonstrate They Can Succeed With Community Support

11.04.2009 – (Denver, Colorado)—The release next week of the highly-anticipated "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," a powerful new film about an abused teen mother, is turning the spotlight on the challenges and potential of abused young mothers across the country, including those in the Denver community.

Precious is the story of an obese 16-year-old girl named Claireece “Precious” Jones who struggles against abuse in 1980s Harlem. Pregnant with a second child by her father and brutally abused by her mother she is expelled from school. Nudged by her junior high principal toward an alternative program, she finds a slow-growing miracle in a kind teacher who takes her under her wing and begins to nurture in her a sense of self-esteem and hope.

The nonprofit Parent Pathways, which operates the Florence Crittenton School for pregnant and parenting teens in Denver, sees many parallels between the life of the main character in the film and those of the pregnant and parenting teens it serves. Despite these obstacles, 93 percent of seniors graduated from the Florence Crittenton School, classified as a DPS alternative school, last year, and 80 percent had plans for post-secondary education. Parent Pathways’ message is that teen parents, with the right support from the community, can overcome formidable obstacles and create cycles of success for their families.

The Kempe Foundation, a Denver nonprofit that advocates against child abuse, is sponsoring opening night for the award-winning film as part of the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House (details at http://www.denverfilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?FID=49&id=22738). A number of students and staff from the Florence Crittenton School will be walking into the theater on the blue carpet that night to convey a message of hope similar to that of Precious.

"Some people might think this movie is just a story created in Hollywood, but the reality is that there are many young women like Precious who choose to parent under difficult circumstances in our community. Sadly, they don't always have the support they need to succeed," said Donna Campanella, principal of the Florence Crittenton School. "Many are survivors of challenges like sexual, physical and emotional abuse, persistent neglect and domestic violence. Yet with the right opportunities and services they can build safe, stable, self-sufficient lives for their families."

“Precious,” which is directed by Lee Daniels and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, stars Mariah Carey, Mo’Nique, Lenny Kravitz, and newcomer Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe.

Parent Pathways (www.parentpathways.org) is a Denver-based non-profit that empowers struggling teen families to be productive members of the community. Using a holistic and proven approach, Parent Pathways offers a spectrum of wraparound services for the entire teen family, including education, career guidance and parenting training for pregnant and parenting teen mothers at the Florence Crittenton School; early childhood education for their babies and toddlers at the Qualistar-rated Early Learning Center; and counseling, education and parenting support for teen fathers through the Young Fathers Program.

Parent Pathways is a member of the Crittenton family of agencies, a network of 27 agencies in 24 states supported by The National Crittenton Foundation.

For more information about how to support young women like Precious, visit, www.AtTheMargin.org, a campaign sponsored by The National Crittenton Foundation and the Crittenton family of agencies to support “young mothers @ the margin” like Precious. More information about the movie “Precious” can be found at www.WeAreAllPrecious.com.

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News Facts

Precious is the story of an obese 16-year-old girl named Claireece “Precious” Jones who struggles against abuse in 1980s Harlem. Pregnant with a second child by her father and brutally abused by her mother she is expelled from school. Nudged by her junior high principal toward an alternative program, she finds a slow-growing miracle in a kind teacher who takes her under her wing and begins to nurture in her a sense of self-esteem and hope.
The nonprofit Parent Pathways, which operates the Florence Crittenton School for pregnant and parenting teens in Denver, sees many parallels between the life of the main character in the film and those of the pregnant and parenting teens it serves. Despite these obstacles, 93 percent of seniors graduated from the Florence Crittenton School, classified as a DPS alternative school, last year, and 80 percent had plans for post-secondary education. Parent Pathways’ message is that teen parents, with the right support from the community, can overcome formidable obstacles and create cycles of success for their families.
The Kempe Foundation, a Denver nonprofit that advocates against child abuse, is sponsoring opening night for the award-winning film as part of the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House (details at http://www.denverfilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?FID=49&id=22738). A number of students from the Florence Crittenton School will be walking into the theater on the blue carpet that night to convey a message of hope similar to that of Precious.
“Precious,” which is directed by Lee Daniels and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, stars Mariah Carey, Mo’Nique, Lenny Kravitz, and newcomer Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe.
Parent Pathways (www.parentpathways.org) is a Denver-based non-profit that empowers struggling teen families to be productive members of the community.