‘Who do they dream of becoming?’ Teenage girls in America – in pictures

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-16T06:18:39.593Z • Permanent link

Eva Verbeeck's lens captured the essence of America's teenage girls, a demographic that has long fascinated researchers and policymakers. Her photographs were part of a larger project that aimed to document the lives of these young women, shedding light on their aspirations, struggles, and triumphs. The project, which Verbeeck began in 2019, is the brainchild of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a unit of the US Department of Education. The NCES has been tracking the educational outcomes of American teenagers for decades, but Verbeeck's project takes a unique approach by focusing on the personal stories of these young women.

Verbeeck's photographs were showcased at a recent exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where they sparked a lively discussion about the challenges faced by American teenagers. According to data from the NCES, over 60% of high school girls in the US reported feeling pressure to pursue a college education, while nearly 40% said they felt anxious about their future. These statistics have significant implications for policymakers, who must balance the need to support these young women's educational aspirations with the need to address the growing concerns about mental health and well-being. The NCES has been working closely with Verbeeck to ensure that her project informs its research and policy recommendations.

Verbeeck's work has also been recognized by the US government, which has awarded her a grant to continue her project. The grant, worth $200,000, will enable Verbeeck to travel to schools and communities across the US, capturing the stories of even more teenage girls. The project is expected to culminate in a comprehensive report that will provide policymakers with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by American teenagers. By shedding light on the personal stories of these young women, Verbeeck's project has the potential to inform policy decisions that will shape the future of American education.

Verbeeck's project has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, where researchers and policymakers rely on data to inform their decisions. The NCES data that Verbeeck has worked with is a critical component of the US education system, providing policymakers with a detailed understanding of the educational outcomes of American teenagers. However, the data also highlights the need for more nuanced and personalized approaches to supporting these young women. By capturing the personal stories of these teenage girls, Verbeeck's project has the potential to inform the development of more effective educational interventions and policies.

The data from Verbeeck's project also has significant implications for companies that provide educational resources and services to American teenagers. Companies such as Khan Academy and Coursera, which offer free online courses and educational materials, may need to adapt their approaches to better meet the needs of these young women. By understanding the challenges and aspirations of American teenagers, these companies can develop more effective strategies for supporting their educational development.

Verbeeck's project is part of a larger pattern of research and policy efforts aimed at supporting the educational development of American teenagers. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to address the challenges faced by these young women, including the pressure to pursue a college education and the anxiety about their future. This recognition has led to the development of new policies and programs aimed at supporting the educational development of American teenagers, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was passed in 2015.