Kyle+S.

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You don’t have a home. You hate your parents. You don’t know where you are staying from night to night. You eat food from garbage cans, or buy it with the little money you have, that you found on the ground or you begged a stranger for. Your skinny, and have serious health problems. Who are you? You are 1 of the 1.6 million homeless teens, whom live on the streets each year. 5,000 of which die each year (National). =====

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“There about 1.3 million people under the age of eighteen living on the streets in the United States,” (National). That is a lot of teens who have to grow up and survive on their own. No teen should have to go through that. There are two types of homeless teens. There are the runaways and there are throwaways. “Runaways are youths under the age of eighteen, whom have left home without their parents or guardians permission because of reasons like family dysfunction and breakdown, specifically familial conflict, abuse, and disruption. Throwaways are teens whom are forced to leave home or are deserted by their parents or guardians, many of whom are incarcerated, physically incapacitated, mentally ill, or addicted to drugs or alcohol,” (Introduction). There are many reasons why there are homeless teens but none of them are good enough to be homeless, there is always something you can do to prevent it.=====

__What is life like as a homeless teen?__ Growing up without a home or family is the worst possible thing for a teenager. Without a family they have nobody disciplining them and are more likely to get into trouble or even hurt. “Unaccompanied homeless youth are at a higher risk for physical and sexual assault or abuse and physical illness, including HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that 5,000 unaccompanied youths die each year as a result of illness, assault, or suicide,” (National). Without a home they don’t have warmth during the winter, they don’t have clean clothes, shelter or a bed to sleep on. Besides the main problem that homeless youth must face like where they are going to find shelter or somewhere to sleep, and also where to find food or how to get it. if a teen lives on the streets and never get out they will live a short life. But if they get lucky and get of they might be able to turn their life around and make up for the lost years of their life while living on the street. media type="youtube" key="Zz8vpxsATLE" height="344" width="425" align="right"

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__How do you prevent homeless teens?__
Preventing teen homelessness is easier then you think. All you have to do is talk to somebody. The best way to deal with your problems is to talk about them, and it doesn't have to be to your parents either it can be to whom ever you want to talk to. you can then work out your problems and you still have a home. But if you must runaway go and live with a friend or another family member because anything is better then living on the streets.

__Conclusion__ Being homeless is one of the worst things possible, but teen homelessness is even worse. They don't get to live like a normal kid and most end up in jail or in early graves. parents should talk to there kids because i think that it can always prevented. nobody should grow up homeless and fighting for there life.

__ Works Cited __ "Health and Safety." //Growing Up in America//. Ed. Melissa J. Doak. Information Plus® Reference Series. 2005 ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2005. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Gale. 1 Feb. 2010 "Introduction to Teens At Risk: Opposing Viewpoints." //Opposing Viewpoints: Teens at Risk//. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Gale. 29 Jan. 2010 National Alliance to End Homelessness. "Youth Homelessness Is a Serious Problem." //Current// // Controversies: Poverty and Homelessness //. Ed. Noël Meri. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Gale. 29 Jan. 2010

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