Decades after helping a teen parent stay in school, YWCA Quad Cities is now nurturing the next generation of her family.
At just 15 years old, Ashleigh Barnes’ life changed forever.
In 2002, Ashley was just a freshman in high school when she found out she was pregnant.
“I panicked about, you know, being pregnant and letting my mom know,” Ashleigh recalled. “When you put all your energy into raising your children and your daughter gets pregnant at 15, how do you explain that to people?”
With a baby on the way came questions about her future and who would help her care for her child.
“In the back of my mind, I knew that I always had the center at Rock Island High School,” said Ashleigh.
She was already familiar with YWCA Quad Cities. In 1989, the YWCA opened a childcare center. As a child, Ashleigh attended the YWCA’s early learning program, and some of her earliest memories were made there. At that time, the YWCA offered a childcare program for teen parents, designed to help young families stay in school while providing their children with a safe and nurturing environment. The program also connected parents to resources that supported their emotional well-being, education, and independence—core to YWCA’s mission of empowering women and strengthening families.
Knowing she had a safe, trusted place for her daughter, Alexya, gave Ashleigh peace of mind.
“Huge—huge,” she said. “I don’t think I would have finished school without the program. At lunchtime, I could come check on my baby. If I had a study hall, I’d come in and see her. That meant everything.”
The YWCA became more than just a child care center; it was a community, a place where Ashleigh felt supported and never judged. Many of the teen moms she met through the program remain close friends to this day.
Four years later, Ashleigh proudly walked across the graduation stage.
“It was huge. Just being able to know that I finished. Being a statistic was something I had a really hard time with—I worked hard to become successful so I could teach my children that.”
And she did. Ashleigh and her husband—both teen parents—built successful careers and a strong foundation for their family.
“We climbed out,” said Ashleigh.
Years later, the YWCA would come back into Ashleigh’s life, but this time through her daughter, Alexya Stephens.
“I’ve always heard nothing but good things about the YW,” said Alexya.
When it came time to find a child care center for her son, Antonio, the decision was easy. He began attending YWCA Quad Cities’ early learning program in September.
“He tells me every day that he loves school,” Alexya said with a smile.
For 36 years, YWCA Quad Cities Child Care Center has been a cornerstone of stability and support for families across our community, providing safe, nurturing, high-quality early learning environments for children of all backgrounds.
Through generations like Ashleigh’s and Alexya’s, the YWCA’s mission continues to live on: empowering women, nurturing children, and strengthening families—one story, one child, and one generation at a time.
