POTSDAM --The Teens HELP project at the Health Initiative, Inc. is promoting Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month during May by launching the Teen Leadership Council (TLC).

Recognizing that adults don’t always have all the answers and that youth are a valuable resource, the Health Initiative says it is empowering teens to create a program that will reduce some of the challenges of teen pregnancy.

The TLC is part advisory board, part design team, and part peer educator group. Over the summer teens will participate in peer education training to prepare them to answer questions about teen sexuality. The TLC will also advise the web development team; create some print, radio, and television media pieces; and plan future events for the public.

At their first meeting teens learned that St. Lawrence County had 884 births to teen moms in 2010. None of the teens were surprised by that number considering the number of teens they know who are pregnant or had a baby recently.

The TLC thinks they can help teen parents with the challenges of being a teen parent and reduce the numbers of teens getting pregnant. They’ll also encourage teens to wait to begin having sex, and the use of protection as ways to reduce emotional distress, teen pregnancy, and the spread of infections.

If you are a teen in St. Lawrence County and would like to share your time and talents by becoming a peer educator with Teens HELP TLC, call Kelly at the Health Initiative, Inc. 261-4760 ext. 234.