Spring Break
Teenagers urge peers to abstain from sex
Keyanna Butts/Contributing Writer
Issue date: 3/11/07 Section: Cover
For Abstinence Awareness Week, Ultra Teen Choice has partnered with community organizations such as the D.C. Healthy Marriage & Relationship Coalition, Amerigroup, Concerned Black Men, Christian Love Baptist Church and East Capitol Center for Change (ECCC).
"I'm excited about Abstinence Awareness Week," said Melissa Higgs, ECCC youth health and abstinence educator. "It will be beneficial for the city and for young people. There is so much pressure from the media, peers and the environment. We just hope to plant a seed in the minds of youth, giving them another option and another way of thinking."
Aside from informing and encouraging youth about abstinence, organizers also hope to advocate change in District legislation. Urban explained that the District budget contributes very little to programs, which teach youth to abstain from sexual relations until marriage.
They may have an ally in the new mayor, Adrian Fenty, who has declared March 10th-March 16th Abstinence Awareness Week.
A selected group of youth will talk to six council members and explain the importance of abstinence, abstinence programs and clubs in the District. Organizers hope that this will emphasize the necessity for more legislative support and funding toward abstinence programs and clubs.
So far the Ultra Teen Choice has four abstinence clubs at one high school and three middle schools in D.C. Each club has about 15 members.
"Youth need and deserve our support," Urban said. "With the really high rate of HIV/AIDS in the District, and with teen pregnancy rates reaching 50 percent in the District, I think we need a strong track for kids who want to stay abstinent. And I think the District government needs to fund that."
An opening reception will jumpstart the week's events at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Thurgood Marshall Center, 1816 12th Street, NW. All events are free and open to the public. For information and locations, visit www.ultrateenchoice.org or contact Richard Urban at (202) 544-5081.
"I'm excited about Abstinence Awareness Week," said Melissa Higgs, ECCC youth health and abstinence educator. "It will be beneficial for the city and for young people. There is so much pressure from the media, peers and the environment. We just hope to plant a seed in the minds of youth, giving them another option and another way of thinking."
Aside from informing and encouraging youth about abstinence, organizers also hope to advocate change in District legislation. Urban explained that the District budget contributes very little to programs, which teach youth to abstain from sexual relations until marriage.
They may have an ally in the new mayor, Adrian Fenty, who has declared March 10th-March 16th Abstinence Awareness Week.
A selected group of youth will talk to six council members and explain the importance of abstinence, abstinence programs and clubs in the District. Organizers hope that this will emphasize the necessity for more legislative support and funding toward abstinence programs and clubs.
So far the Ultra Teen Choice has four abstinence clubs at one high school and three middle schools in D.C. Each club has about 15 members.
"Youth need and deserve our support," Urban said. "With the really high rate of HIV/AIDS in the District, and with teen pregnancy rates reaching 50 percent in the District, I think we need a strong track for kids who want to stay abstinent. And I think the District government needs to fund that."
An opening reception will jumpstart the week's events at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Thurgood Marshall Center, 1816 12th Street, NW. All events are free and open to the public. For information and locations, visit www.ultrateenchoice.org or contact Richard Urban at (202) 544-5081.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
linsey
posted 6/10/08 @ 2:49 PM EST
i think that all of this written here is very true all teens should abstain. .
i mean i didnt abstain and i made a huge mistake but now i realize what i did wrong and im here to tell all of you that sex is not the answer being as young as you all are. (Continued…)
Robert
posted 7/21/08 @ 9:41 PM EST
Its a sad day when your on the marriage bed, and you can't please your wife cause you don't know what to do, how to play and act. Waiting for sexual activity for a man may make you more focuses and aggressive, but it will lead to masturbation which can make you withdraw from life somewhat, and the other side of the coin is religious fanaticism and not touching yourself, which is a guarantee of prostate problems and ED when your older. (Continued…)
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