Youth Empowered by Abstinence

Sponsored by Washington State Department of Health and coordinated by Teen Futures Media Network at the University of Washington, Youth Empowered by Abstinence (YEA!) was formed in 1998 when twelve teen groups from across Washington state met for a conference to discuss ways that they could promote sexual abstinence to their peers using the media. The teens attending the meeting represented school-based groups, groups supported through local health departments and other community agencies, and faith-based organizations.

Since 1998, members of this statewide group have worked to gather support in their local communities. Some activities:

• 1999: A very successful statewide media contest in which approximately 1000 teens participated. YEA! members directed all aspects of the contest including the judging of winners.
• 2000: the 22 groups involved in YEA! were given the materials and help they needed, including prize money, to launch their own local media contests.
• 2001: Some YEA! representatives were given the opportunity to serve as presenters during a special banquet program at the Images of Youth: Growing Up in a Media Culture conference held in Spokane’s West Coast Grand Hotel. All travel arrangements for these representatives were covered by YEA!
• 2002: YEA! held a statewide summit in April to celebrate the sexual abstinence programs in Washington State which have used media as a primary strategy to publicize the many abstinence-based teen pregnancy prevention efforts. At the Summit, participating groups shared products and ideas developed and learned skills in media promotion.

Teen Aware

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's Teen Aware Project is part of a statewide effort to reduce teen pregnancy. Since 1994, students in over 200 schools in 100 districts across the state of Washington have participated in the Teen Aware Project. Teen Aware middle and high school students research, develop and produce media campaigns to promote teen sexual abstinence.

Student-developed media include video and radio productions, posters, bookmarks, theater productions, brochures, print advertising, multimedia, Web sites, tee-shirts, bus posters, buttons and more. Teen Aware media productions have received national awards and recognition. In addition, the Washington State Department of Health has incorporated the statewide distribution of student-developed Teen Aware Project posters into its teen pregnancy prevention campaign strategy.

For more information about the Teen Aware program, visit:
http://www.k12.wa.us/teenaware/

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