By the Numbers

I work at a statewide non-profit (Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, or NCFF) that constantly deals with numbers and statistics in an on-going effort to make sure our kids are happy, healthy and thriving. We had an all-staff meeting today and a stat sheet was handed out about children in Nebraska... and it goes something like this:

Put all of Nebraska's kids that are entering kindergarten this fall in one room. Out of that, pull out a sample of 100 kids. Of these kids:
9 were born to teenage mothers
17 are living below the poverty level
14 are obese
11 do not have health insurance
9 already need mental health services
1 will become the victim of substantiated abuse this year
2 are already state wards
4 will be arrested in high school
9 will attempt suicide in high school
21 will not graduate from high school

While these numbers are shocking, it is the truth of our great state. (And, small plug here - why NCFF exists!) What really got me, though, was when the presenter said this:

And, one kid could be ALL of these.

As the mom of an almost 3 year old, that's scary.
(PS - If you want the sources, contact me.)