The media is sending out raw messages.  Today’s music has been described as pornography for the ears.  The artists are painting a one-sided-no-consequence picture.  Certain television programs drive home mixed messages about what is “normal” for teens. The power of the media has grown outside of the television and radio world into a powerhouse known as the internet.   These teens are entangled in a networked generation.  Forms of communication and media messages are at the palm of their hands at all times.  Between cell phones and the internet, the teens are completely plugged in to each other’s lives.  Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace, allow the teens can know what one another are doing every minute of the day.  How badly would we like to send our teen to their room and have them stay they are until they are 30?  While it may sound like a great idea, we don’t want to shelter these kids, but give the truth about what is really going on in the world.  It is A Positive Approach to Teen Health’s passion to breakdown the lies and expose the truth.

Here are just a few things that are going on:

·         28% of teen condom users have a pregnancy within the first two years of use.[1]

·         About two-thirds of sexually active 15 – 19 year old males report having used condoms at their last sexual contact.[2]

·         1 in every 4 young ladies between the ages of 14 and 19 is infected with at least one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.[3]

·         The levels of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts are highest among teens who engage in high-risk behaviors involving sex and drugs.[4]

·         48% of high school students surveyed reported having intercourse, 45% consumed one or more alcoholic beverage(s), and 20% used marijuana within the past month.[5]

·         14.9% of teens have had sex with four or more partners.[6]

The truth is that teens are faced with difficult choices and are offered little information or guidance in how to make truly healthy choices.  Our teens may be receiving some of the physical information regarding sexual activity, but it’s about so much more than changing bodies and safe sex.  Pre-marital sexual activity is a high risk behavior, often accompanied by other high risk behaviors including drug and alcohol use.  A Positive Approach to Teen Health focuses on the whole person, including physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual parts of sexual activity.  Health classes don’t always cover the mixed messages that bombard our teens daily from every media source.  Third party evaluation results confirmed that 82% of students reached with Planned Potential curricula said that A Positive Approach to Teen health had made a positive difference in their opinions that could lead them toward better health.  Studies continue to show that abstinence-center education works!  Who’s going to tell them the truth?

Underage drinking, drugs, sexting, pornography, and so many other high-risk behaviors are included in the decisions that teens make every day.  It’s vital that they receive a full message and understand how each choice that they make effects so many factors of their lives.  Not just their lives, but the lives of everyone around them, and eventually a community, and a nation.  Who’s going to tell them the whole truth?

A Positive Approach to Teen Health is committed to bringing the whole truth to the youth of Northwest Indiana and beyond!  We have staff in place with the ability, desire and passion to reach teens with the truth.  “Planned Potential” curriculum is relevant, age appropriate, and medically accurate.  We have five years of vigorous third party evaluations that prove we are making a positive influence through our classroom presentations.  The evidence is in, the truth is available, and A Positive Approach to Teen Health is ready to share it with teens as the Lord gives them opportunity. 

How long A Positive Approach to Teen Health can continue with their mission and vision will quite honestly become a decision made by parents, grandparents, churches, youth organizations, businesses and individuals with a heart for our teens.  On September 29, 2010 the majority of their funding will stop because of the decisions made in Washington.  A Positive Approach to Teen Health needs YOU to help them continue to bring the truth to the teens of Northwest Indiana and America.  They are ready and able to continue, they are trusting God to meet all their needs, but the truth is that God uses everyday people to meet those needs.  So here’s the truth for A Positive Approach to Teen Health, they need $600,000 by September 29, 2010 to continue reaching teens with the truth.

Will you join Appositive Approach to Teen Health to expose the truth to this plugged in generation?

For more information about A Positive Approach to Teen Health visit www.pathblazer.org or call the office at (219) LIV   TRUE (548-8783).