This is one of our favorite week's of the year! That's because we have the chance to help the valley's youngest with the 6 On Your Side Community Baby Shower. Your donations make a major difference in the lives of many new parents.
For Nikole Lowe becoming a mother was the best and hardest thing that's ever happened in her life.
"She makes me laugh. She makes me cry. She makes me happy. She gives me every emotion. She's amazing,” said Nikole.
When Eliza was born, her 17 year old mother Nikole was a high school dropout. Now a year and a half later life looks drastically different for the pair. They now spend their days at Marian Pritchett High School for pregnant and parenting teens.
"Before it made me feel like i was doing this for really nothing. But now i have goals and stuff like that,” said Nikole
Marian Pritchett is a joint project between the Boise School District and Salvation Army.
While the teens take classes ranging from history and english to life skills and parenting. Their babies are cared for in an on-site nursery.
Students not only receive good grades for their hard work, but are also rewarded with shopping trips to the school's boutique.
"A lot of students feel like this unplanned pregnancy is kinda the end of the road and they they get here getting back into the routine of school, making these connections and seeing possibilities,” said Lindsay Klein, Marian Pritchett Director.
One of the possibilities is earning a high school diploma. In fact, this May, Marian Pritchett graduated its largest class ever, 24 students which included three fathers.
Nikole is on that same path. She plans to graduate next may and go on to the College of Western Idaho to pursue her dream of becoming a neonatal nurse.
"I just feel like i'm going somewhere in my life now,” said Nikole.
