Teenage Parent Program

What is the "Teenage Parent Program" (TAPP)?                       

• TAPP is a program of the Sunnyside School District, started in 1986, that seeks to prevent the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and support teenage parents with multidisciplinary resources from a case manager and a teacher. We serve students at all three high schools in the district.
• It is well known that teenage parents have a higher incidence of having children that have poor outcomes in school, the majority live below the poverty line and are at risk of serving jail time in their lives. This program seeks to remedy these difficult situations to maximize success of our students.
• We offer classes for students on pregnancy and birth, parenting, and childcare.
• We have a case manager to keep our students on track to graduate and provide any resources needed, from diapers to WIC to finding housing and anything in between.
• The Mission of the Sunnyside Unified School District TAP Program (TAPP) is to:
  1. Contribute to the school district’s efforts to reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy.
  2. Assure that pregnant and parenting students receive the support they need to stay in school through graduation

Being a Parent means…

according to TAPP students

• “learning about strengths you didn't know you had and dealing with fear you didn't know existed.”
• “being able to learn and grow with your child. Being responsible and mature. Being a parent means  being your best for you and your child.”
• “se me hace una bendición bien grande en saber que está una personita chiquita creciendo en mi. Saber que en unos meses lo voy a poder cargar, ver y tocar - me llena de emoción y felicidad.”
• “to own up to the fact that you have a baby. Being there for your kid physically, mentally and emotionally. Being able to provide for him. Being a parent means loving your child REGARDLESS.”
• “having to grow up a little sooner than everyone else and taking responsibility to becoming the best parent you can be.”
• leaving all things you do as a non-parent and stepping up to the plate.

About our staff

• Monica Luna, TAPP Program Specialist and Teacher
  
  • I am a native of Tucson. I graduated from the TAP Program at Tucson High School. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education. I worked at Banner University Medical Center since 1993 in several positions and primarily in the Mother/Baby Unit up until December of 2015. I have been coordinating TAPP since 2013. I am a Certified Doula, Lamaze Instructor, and also certified to instruct CPR, BLS and First Aid.   I love the beach, riding with my husband, and hanging out with my grandkids.

• Maggie Benavidez, TAPP Case Manager
  
  • I am a graduate of Cobre High School in Bayard, NM. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Western New Mexico University. I am currently working on a master's degree in School Counseling. My case management experience includes working with infants, toddlers, and children whom have a developmental delay or disabilityy and working with pregnant and parenting teens. I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with my family and friends.

• Maria Olivas, Infant Center Director
  
  • Originally I am from Chihuahua, Mexico. I worked at New Futures High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with teen parents as an instructional assistant until moving to Tucson. I have a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate through Pima Community College. I have been working with the Infant Center since 2008. I enjoy reading, walking, cooking, arts & crafts, and spending time with my family and friends.                                                

• Angelica Chamberlain, Infant Center Staff - lead
  
  • I am a graduate of Sunnyside High School and the Teenage Parent Program. While attending Sunnyside, I was an aide/parent in the Infant Center for three years. As soon as I graduated I started working at Children’s Learning Adventure as an assistant teacher and worked my way up to lead teacher. I worked at CLA for 2.5 years before receiving an Instructional Assistant position in the Sunnyside Infant Center in 2014. I have taken classes in child development and I am CPR and First Aid certified. I have two children of my own. Jason (5 years) and Jayleen (10 months) both were babies in the infant center. I plan on enrolling at Pima Community College to earn a degree in Early Childhood Studies. I intend to take over as director of the Sunnyside Infant Center in the future.  I love to play sports and spend time with my friends and family.

• Linda Soto, Infant Center Staff
  
  • I have a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate and have taken numerous classes in Early Childhood Education at Pima Community College and Central Arizona College. I have worked 31 years in SUSD working as an assistant at Ocotillo Preschool and the TAPP Infant Center. I also work in the summers for the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation at the Therapeutic Center with autistic children and as a coordinator for the last 4 years. I love to play softball or any sport, walking, reading books (mostly the newspaper) and watching U of A basketball – Go Cats! I also love making tamales for people that order them, and the casino!

• Yolanda Bonillas, TAPP Office Assistant
  
  • I have worked in the Sunnyside Unified School District since 1990 at Los Niños Elementary, Drexel Elementary, and Sunnyside High School in the nurse’s office before my current position as secretary for the Teenage Parent Program. I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends.