Being a teenager is a challenge. Being a pregnant teenager attending high school in South Los Angeles is a challenge that many college students cannot begin to fathom.

The women of USC’s Youths Exploring Passion mentoring program are an exception to that rule. Commonly referred to as YEP, the group provides support for pregnant teenage girls at nearby Thomas Riley High School. USC students help the teens discover their own passions and build independent lives for themselves.

Thomas Riley High is dedicated to pregnant teens drawn from the Los Angeles Unified School District. It provides the girls a protected environment for continuing their studies. USC student “coaches,” or mentors, visit the school once or twice a week to spend time with their mentees, known as “Tigers.” Barbara Minton, an English teacher at the high school, gave her girls that nickname several years ago in response to their pluck and determination. The name stuck.

The coaches visit the school Wednesday afternoons to tutor the Tigers. Friday afternoons are spent on outings around Los Angeles.

YEP originated from a group project in President Steven B. Sample’s leadership class in spring 2004.“These girls live in such a narrow world,” said Kristine Quinio, one of the original group members. “We realized that if we wanted them to explore their passions, we needed to widen that.” The Friday afternoon expeditions address that issue. According to Quinio, one Tiger had lived in South Los Angeles all her life but had never been to the beach – so her coach took her to see the ocean. Ashley Howell, the current director of YEP, tells of another Tiger who had never heard of the Holocaust – so her coach took her to the Museum of Tolerance.

This year’s program has a stronger academic focus. The tutoring sessions are a relatively new addition. Their primary purpose is to help the Tigers pass the language proficiency tests required by LAUSD to move to the next grade level. The Tigers also are exposed to educational opportunities that will help them build an independent future. College counselors speak to them, and they are coached on scholarship opportunities and schools where they can pursue specialized degrees.

“Most of all, we want to give them an identity beyond ‘I’m pregnant,’ ” Howell said. “You can be pregnant and also be a great designer, or a great architect, or a great doctor, and we’re there to help them see that.”

For more information on how you can join or donate to the YEP program, e-mail director Ashley Howell at achowell@usc.edu.

Do you know of someone who takes learning, especially undergraduate research, beyond classroom walls If so, please e-mail Mark Kann at mkann@usc.edu to suggest a feature for this column.