More Teens Having Sex, Program Hopes to Change that Problem

Should teens have sex? Many say no. But recent research from the State Department of Public Instruction shows more teens are having sex than you may think. For example, last Wednesday we told you how a state survey showed that almost 59 percent of high school students in the east were having sex. And with that research, comes concerns about teen pregnancies. But there’s a program many believe is key, to steering kids away from sex toward abstinence.

Not only are thousands of teens in North Carolina having sex, but they're getting pregnant too. 2006 data shows more than 19,500, 10-19 year olds were pregnant. More than 2000 of those cases were in eastern North Carolina.

That's why these students at Thomasville High School are talking to their peers about sex. The students on stage are a part of TEEN PEP, which stands for Teen Peer Education Program. Through creative and entertaining workshops they get the message across - kids don't have to have sex this young.

"Get the message out there or you have classic baby boom," Cameron Toms said.

15-year-old Cameron Toms says it's all about connection; kids need to hear the risks of having sex too young from other kids.

"Where I’m at it's not there so I see a lot of my friends getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant".

Sherry Barr says the reality of teen pregnancy today doesn't have to be the reality of tomorrow. She works with Teen PEP and believes in its power among the younger generation.

"It’s successful because it's students talking with other students and its trained students who have the leadership skills," Barr said.

Bill Albert works with a national organization that works on teen pregnancy prevention.

"If we're going to make continued progress on teen pregnancy across the country, we have to throw the kitchen sink out. There's no magic bullet; there's no single one thing that makes a difference. It's an intensity effort in a variety of programs that's happening at Thomasville High School," Albert said.

The Teen PEP was established in New Jersey in 1999 and it's been in North Carolina for a year and a half. State leaders hope its programs like this one that'll make a difference in our state.  Thomasville High School is the only one in the state that offers this Teen Peer Education Program. If you're interested in bringing a peer education program to a school, just type in the keywords: teen pregnancy.