Lack of education is the greatest risk factor for homeless youth. One Chicago organization is helping to change that

CHICAGO - Alanna Kellum wanted to do normal, teenage things: go to school, hang out with friends, experiment with independence. Instead, she was a sophomore in high school often missing school to take care of her twin, toddler-aged siblings.

"It was frustrating, but I always had my mind set on helping my mom," said the 17-year-old. "So I just felt like I should step in and help her."

As Kellum continued supporting her mother, the cooking, cleaning and care-taking began to take a toll on the teenager. She felt her help was becoming mandatory and that she wasn't able to live her own life, she said.

Kellum's frustrations from helping out would sometimes cause "big arguments" between her and her mother, she said. There were times Kellum would leave