class of 2009 > amanda morris

Amanda Morris has a seven-month-old son, Logan Joseph. "He is a very happy baby and rarely cries with strangers," she says. "He loves to play, explore and learn."

Amanda says becoming a mom as a teenager "has affected me in a positive way, because I am now planning to go on with my education. Since I have my son, I am more focused with school and on bettering my life no matter how hard it gets."

Florence Crittenton and the Early Learning Center have helped her "by providing me with the resources and help I needed to graduate and continue my education," she says.

The availability of on-site day care meant a lot to her because it enabled her to stay in school. "As a teen mom, they helped by providing classes like perinatal, which taught me everything I needed to be a good mom," she says

Amanda plans to go to Metro State to get her bachelors degree and then her master's degree in Computer Science.

Her advice: "Don't give up. It may get hard but if you tell yourself you can do it and you don't let anyone bring you down, things will get better."