Nicole Green noticed the looks classmates and teachers shot in her direction when she was pregnant at 16 years old. A member of her church pulled her aside and told her she should be ashamed of herself and apologize to the church.

“I will never forget that feeling. To see that girls are still getting pregnant young, and even younger than 16, I can relate to feeling ostracized,” said Green, who moved to Pennsylvania from Detroit, Mich., in 2003.

As a junior in high school, Green was referred to the General Motors Tech Academy, which took about 25 students from surrounding districts. During her senior year, the potential in pay from the possible career paths piqued her interest, especially since she was pregnant and seeking a way to provide for her soon-to-be-born child. GM Tech Academy also provided her a mentor, a former teen mom, who Green instantly connected. READ MORE