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=Teen Pregnancy On The Rise=

By: Robert Nesbitt nesbittr@students.nescom.edu media type="youtube" key="ZRaFQbD0dEM" height="340" width="560"

It seems as though the trend in television shows that address teen pregnancy is on the rise. ABC Family’s new hit show "The Secret Life of the American Teenager", has been a huge hit across the nation. The show digs into the life of a high school teenager who goes through the struggles of being pregnant at a young age. This new trend in television seems to make some sense seeing as how a recent CBS News poll reveals that 7 percent of U.S. girls get pregnant, that’s roughly about 750,000 girls. Researchers in the poll blame the lack of education on sex in the classroom.

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In 2005 Maine decided to opt out of receiving federal money to help subsidize sex education in its schools. It joined two other states, California and Pennsylvania, with that decision. Had it chose to accept the funding Maine would have had to give about $120,000 to the program and would have had to focus on sex education programs financed by the money on abstinence exclusively. This decision was made at a time when U.S Rep. Henry Waxman of California found that 11 of 13 federally funded abstinence programs contained medically inaccurate information. But since then research has found those programs, which focus on abstinence are affective with students.======

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According to the Washington Post, sex education classes that focus on teaching kids the importance of abstinence can persuade children to postpone sexual activity. The findings found by researchers of the University of Pennsylvania is the first clear evidence that abstinence programs could work. Studies showed that about a third of sixth-and seventh-graders who completed the abstinence program started having sex within the next two years. Where as nearly half of the students who attended other sex education classes became sexually active.======

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“I feel like the more resources people can get out there, the more people that are pushing abstinence, that then make a program to help a kid make it through this hard time is the best possible thing.” said Gillette.======

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According to her ,Orono High School has a non extensive sex education class that students take during their freshman year. Gillette doesn’t believe that girls are emotionally stable at that age to be having sex and shouldn’t be taught that sex is the norm. She also reported that only one student, that she is aware of, has become pregnant at Orono High this year, and that the student is taking advantage of a local agency geared towards helping girls in that situation obtain the skills needed to be a mother.======

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Bangor Native Felicia Hatch is well aware of such programs because she also knows what it is like to be a pregnant teen. Hatch found out she was Pregnant at 17, but because her parents had kicked her out at age 15 she had to turn to local women’s shelters to survive. The road didn’t get any smoother for her from there though. Due to an abuse situation with her boyfriend at the time after having her first child, her son was taken away from her by child protective services. But Felicia never gave up and fought to receive custody back of her son, Andre, and was successful. From there she moved to a program called My Choice to receive help with getting her feet back on the ground and her life on track again.======

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According to Hatch her high school only had a brief sex ed. Class that was more focused on the sexual reproductive system that it was on safe sex or abstinence. She wishes that those programs would focus more on safe sex and the results of getting pregnant at a young age. Something she is all too familiar with.======

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“I have a younger sister. So when I look at that I’m thinking, so what’s the media putting out there for young girls. Making it look good, making it look like it’s easy, when its hard. Its hard being a young a mom.” said Hatch.======

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Since she got the news that she was pregnant at 17, Felicia has gotten a degree in Cosmetology from The Empire School. She is working as a hair stylist at the Hair Hut, in Milford and is engaged to be married next year. She now has two sons; six year old Andre, and Gabriel, who is two. Eastern Maine United Way has used her story as an example for young moms who are going through the same hardships she once faced, and also for teen girls who might be considering sex.======

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The road has been rough for Felicia and though her sons are an important part of her life she admits she would have been more prepared had she waited to have sex. She believes that had she waited things probably would have been easier. When asked what her advice would be for teen girls considering sex Hatch replied,======