At 15, Melissa discovered she was going to be a parent. She made big decisions and put in great effort to ensure her and her daughter Jennesa’s promising futures by coming to Terra for support.

Melissa’s post-secondary educational path led her back to Terra Centre as a valued team member who supports the success of many teen parent families as Supervisor of the Family Learning Program.

Jennesa is now a full-time university student with an instinct for business and community. Together the pair started a sweet small business where they make and sell trend-setting goodies to the local community. Jennesa’s social-media-savvy and unique approach to traditional baking was an instant success that generated $3,000 in sales after their first Instagram post.

“Jennesa has always been confident,” says her mother, Melissa. “We support her by encouraging her to explore her creative side, while also allowing her the space to figure out what she wants to do. If she starts to feel overwhelmed or uncertain, that’s when we provide back-up and have conversations to help.”