Move aside, fake pregnancy bellies and life-like take-home babies. The latest classroom tool used around the county to deter teen pregnancy is a line-up of hit MTV shows.
The New York Times featured an article in the April 10 edition with a slew of examples of how the shows “16 & Pregnant,” “Teen Mom” and “Teen Mom 2″ are used to prompt discussions and lessons about the negative effects of teenage parenthood. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy even distributes DVDs and discussion guides for that purpose.
The shows aren’t just discussion prompters in the classroom — they’re also a means for parents to start conversations about sex, contraception and pregnancy with their children. And although it’s often an awkward conversation, teens in Northeast Florida and throughout the country want to be able to have those talks with their parents.
The latest CDC report shows a decline in teen birth rates, but it is still a significant issue that has a negative effect on society and birth outcomes. Teen birth rates in the United States are higher than other industrialized countries — and locally and statewide, rates are even higher than the nation. The NEFL Teen Pregnancy Task Force meets the second Wednesday of the month at Shands and will develop strategies and iniatives — like educating parents about how to talk to their kids about sex – to combat the issue in the region.
- When: April 21, 2011
- Location: Early Learning Coalition, 8301 Cypress Plaza Dr., Suite 201, Jacksonville, FL 32256
- Time: 9 am
Community photographers from the New Town Success Zone debuted their work at the April Jacksonville Art Walk last night.
The PhotoVoice Project, Strengthening the Voices of Women in New Town: Making Our Neighborhood Better for Children, allowed women from the New Town community of North Jacksonville to act as recorders and potential catalysts for social action in their neighborhood through photography. Their pictures reflect the strengths and concerns they see in New Town.
Participants stood proudly by their photos, which were accompanied by personal narratives, and talked with visitors about their experiences throughout the process. The next phase of the project will including advocacy training, empowering the women to address their concerns and enabling them to bring positive changes in their community.
The project is a collaboration between the Early Childhood Committee of the New Town Success Zone and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women and is funded by the Women’s Giving Alliance, the Chartrand Foundation, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and individual donors.
The exhibit will remain on display throughout April at the main library, at 303 N. Laura St., Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Healthy Start board members, volunteers and staff traveled to Tallahassee Tuesday to advocate for Florida’s children. The annual initiative brought together parents, children, policy makers, professionals, community leaders and concerned citizens from all over the state to share valuable knowledge and information about children’s issues. Over 80 different organizations set up educational and activity booths throughout the Capitol Courtyard and Rotunda, and hundreds participated in Hanging of the Hands, a display of over 100,000 unique cut-outs of children’s hands.
This year’s trip was a huge success! Healthy Start delegates met with several legislators from Northeast Florida to thank them for their continued support, and community volunteers gained valuable first-hand knowledge of advocacy tactics.
To learn more about the event, visit the Children’s Week homepage.
The BB&T Bank Bus made a stop at the Magnolia Project yesterday to provide financial resources for Project participants and other interested persons in Pearl Plaza.
The bank pulled over 35 credit reports and talked with more than 50 prospective clients. The bus was there from 10am-2pm.
The big, brightly painted vehicle is a mobile community financial education tool that is equipped to provide the following to community members and area residents wherever it travels:
- Free Annual Credit Reports
- BB&T Products & Services: Checking and Savings Accounts
- BB&T Careers: www.bbt.com/careers
- Web-based Financial Education Resources
Photo Courtesy of BB&T
