1. The Other Wes Moore
Chapter Five: “Lost”

2. *The Other Wes Moore (p. 85) *Notebook paper *Pen or pencil
ON YOUR DESK
*The Other Wes Moore (p. 85)
*Notebook paper
*Pen or pencil

3. As You Read
We have talked about the choices each Wes Moore has made throughout chapters one through four; as you read chapter five, keep a list of choices each Wes Moore’s mother makes regarding her son’s behavior/life and the impact each behavior has on the sons.

4. ON YOUR DESK
*Notebook paper
*Pen or pencil

5. Quickwrite for Discussion
Defend or challenge the following statement:
Any time a person achieves success, someone (either that person or someone in his/her life) has to make sacrifices in order for the person to become successful.

6. Sacrifice How does sacrifice play a role in “Author” Wes Moore’s life?
How does sacrifice play a role in “Other” Wes Moore’s life?
Now, agree or disagree, and be prepared to defend:
Both Wes Moores are SELFISH.

7. Military School
“Author” Wes Moore was given the opportunity to go to military school.
Do you think that you would be successful in a military school setting? Why or why not?
What do you believe would be the most difficult element to adapt to?

9. Why Military School?
Military schools typically have a higher graduation rate (some regularly 100%)
MS routinely have over 90% of graduates accepted to college
Lower student to teacher ratio
Increased focus on physical fitness
MS recognize not all students are athletes, so they offer a wider variety of activities

10. Second Chances
“From everything you told me, both of us did some pretty wrong stuff when we were younger. And both of us had second chances. But if the situation or the context where you make the decisions don’t change, then second chances don’t mean much, huh?” (67).

11. Juvenile Delinquency & recidivism*
Juveniles who start offending before age 12 are more likely to continue offending into early adulthood.
Within three years of release, about two-thirds (67.8 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested.
Within five years of release, about three-quarters (76.6 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested.
Of those prisoners who were rearrested, more than half (56.7 percent) were arrested by the end of the first year.
*Recidivism: refers to a person’s relapse into criminal behavior, often after a person undergoes intervention for a previous crime.

12. Recidivism

13. “Other” Wes Moore
We know the “other” Wes Moore ends up in prison for life, and based on the video, recidivism is all too common; why do you think that so many criminals become repeat offenders?

14. Then, consider the following:
Teen Pregnancy
“Other” Wes Moore is still in high school when his girlfriend, Alicia, becomes pregnant.
Discuss Wes’ mother’s response to the pregnancy.
Then, consider the following:
“The news of his imminent parenthood did not stop Wes from making time for other girls” (101).

15. TEEN PREGNANCY
*The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and teen births, and abortion in the fully industrialized world.
*Three in ten girls in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20; that’s over 750,000 teen pregnancies a year.
*Georgia has the 17th highest teen birth rate in the nation.
*Hall County ranks 72nd out of 159 counties in Georgia for teen pregnancy rates

16. Teen Pregnancy Statistics
The daughters of teen mothers are three times more likely to become teen mothers themselves when compared to mothers aged 20-21
The sons of teen mothers are two times more likely to end up in prison than the sons of mothers aged 20-21
How are Tony & Wes becoming statistics based on their behavior? Is it possible for Tony, Wes, and other children born to teen mothers to avoid the fates listed above?

17. Resources