Teens Learn Hard Facts On Pregnancy

SEBRING - About 250 area eighth graders heard some cold, hard facts about teen pregnancy prevention.

With an emphasis on statistics and first-person accounts, seminar leaders painted an unappealing picture of a teen parent.

The Highlands County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance Teen Panel was held during each of the four Thursdays in April.

Nearly every eighth grader in Highlands County attended a seminar. This week's seminars for Sebring Middle School students were held at both the school and First Baptist Church of Sebring.
Separate groups of boys and girls heard about abstinence, the dangers of various risky behaviors and the value of taking care of their bodies.

Kyler Hodge, 14, said he learned the advantages of waiting until he was older, to make sure he really loves someone prior to sexual contact and that once a sexual partner becomes pregnant, changes are often drastic.

"Life pretty much stinks after that," said Hodge. "It's hard to finish out school and you've got a lot more responsibilities. (The seminar) made us think before we do anything."

Fifteen-year-old Cameron Allen talked about the life-changing consequences concerning teen-age sex - a subject he had thought about rarely.

"Wait till you're older," said Allen. "Your life is ruined. There's not enough money."
Monica Sauls, the sergeant over school resource and the crime prevention unit, said the seminar and education worked. Highlands County improved from a fifth place ranking, to 29th, of 67 counties, for teen pregnancies.

"Girls are aware that their bodies belong to them and not some young man who is pressuring them into having sex by saying he loves them," said Sauls. "We give the girls confidence to say, 'No, I'm not ready. I'm not going to, and if you really loved me, you wouldn't ask me."

Jessica Santos is based at RASUW, a center for women in Bartow. Santos spoke while acting as a role model. She explained to the eighth grade girls how to learn through her mistakes.

"Telling my story means a lot to me," said Santos. "Talking about a lot of the actual things that happened to me should help others. Sometimes I wish I could go back.

"This helps me reach the girls and to know they don't have to make the same mistakes - they don't have to take those risky choices in life."

Susie Buelow, of the Highlands County Health Department stressed the disadvantages of teen-age sex, after confiding that most young girls someday desire bearing children, marrying a husband and living in a home with a white picket fence - but not as teenagers.

"Risky behavior has consequences," Buelow told the girls. "Weigh your options and come up with better alternatives."