AT HOPE AND MAIN: TEEN BIRTHRATE REMAINS BIG CONCERN

Maria was absolutely precocious. She defined that word. Because of her popularity, you might even envy her. But once you got to know her you'd realize just how nice she was and forget about everything else. She'd really zero in on your personality and chum up to you, right away.

Jacklynn had met her at school. Maria was in her math class. All semester Jacklynn watched Maria charm Mr. Brook. It didn't seem deliberate or intentional. Maria just possessed this charisma. Jacklynn watched in awe and thought, if only I could do that.

Jacklynn was still really good friends with Danielle. They talked on the phone, but never really hung out. Jacklynn had her own crowd. When she was invited to hang out with Danielle and her friends, she took advantage of the opportunity; they were all popular.

Maria had a really cute boyfriend that was always buying her jewelry. Nobody could figure out why she broke up with him after going out with him for over a year. With an empty space in her otherwise busy social network, Maria began hanging out with Danielle. Danielle and Maria got along famously. Part of the reason was that Danielle provided a very valuable commodity. Danielle's mother looked the other way when it came to questionable recreation and her dad was never really around. When he was around, he never had an opinion about Danielle's upbringing whatsoever. Maria would sleep over at Danielle's house, and they would go out partying till whenever. Maria's mother never called.

Maria was adopted. Her foster parents were raising Maria's twin brother, Tom, and a daughter of their own, a few years older than them. Their home was a pretty strict one. There were unchangeable curfews, and although Maria's brother often entertained friends in the garage, they had to be quiet out there. Maria never entertained friends at the house. She didn't get along with her foster parents at all, didn't respect them and didn't pretend either. For now they served a purpose. Sometimes it was shocking, even being her friend, just to hear how she talked about them.

Jacklynn was friends with Tom. He was a sensitive guy. He never disrespected his foster parents. Tom went to a parochial school and Maria went to a public school. No one ever knew why they went to altogether different schools.

When Maria's real Dad showed up at school one day in a cherry red Corvette, and promised it to 15-year-old Maria, if she'd move back with him, Tom didn't care. No one ever questioned what Maria did for the three days she took off from school during her father's visit and she didn't offer any information. Why she didn't take her Dad up on the offer was never discussed either. Maria was Maria, you didn't question her, she asked the questions.

It was around that time that Danielle had invited Jacklynn to come hang out with them, meaning herself and Maria. They were going to the local high school music competition. These were local student musicians performing top-of-the-chart rap, rock 'n' roll, alternative, what have you. They invited Jacklynn along, knowing she had an early curfew. It was over early anyway, being a school thing and all.

When Jacklynn met them at Danielle's house, they had been getting ready for hours. Clothes were strewn all over the place. Danielle's hair was up in curlers and, of course, Maria had already done hers. She had on the full makeup and looked gorgeous as usual. She hardly needed any of it, since she impressed everyone anyway. Jacklynn realized she must look a sight; she hadn't curled her hair and didn't have a drop of makeup on. Jacklynn had a lot to learn.

Maria was a learning experience for anyone. She always had, readily available, the right things to say, at the drop of a hat. Because she was so popular, there were always other girls who had a problem with her. That was inevitable. Especially since Maria had a way of getting all the boys' attention. What that girl could do with words and attitude was an art, and pushed to the limit; scratching, biting and kicking were not beneath her.

They had little flasks of Southern Comfort in their big purses and some Cokes half-poured out, so they could drink in line while waiting for the door to open. The inside of the high school gym was dark. Danielle announced that she was going to sit down for a while, she was not feeling that great. Jacklynn and Maria decided to socialize for a while and when they returned, there was a crowd around Danielle. She had passed out. Jacklynn stood by Danielle's side until her mother and grandmother arrived. Who knows where Maria went? It was shocking to see Danielle lying there, like she was going to die or something. Jacklynn wondered what else she had taken. There was a foreboding trickle of blood that ran down the crack of her lips. When Danielle's grandmother and mother arrived, their first words were "What did you do to her?"

Everything turned out fine. Danielle got her stomach pumped and didn't want to talk about it much the next day. Jacklynn decided just not to hang out with them for a while.

Soon after, Maria found a new boyfriend, Al. Al was in his 20s. He had a car, a job, didn't mind hanging out with Maria's friends, and worshipped Maria. He'd do just about anything she'd ask.

After a while Al and Maria were so into each other that they just forgot about the world. Maria dropped out of school and moved in with Al. Jacklynn only heard about Maria now; she never really saw her much.

One day at school the news flash was that Maria was pregnant. Yep, Maria was with child, and Al wanted nothing to do with her. So, Maria moved back in with her foster Mom, and some select friends had the honor of hearing all her problems.

The teen birthrate -- taken from an article in the Abilene Reporter News, dated Aug. 15, 2000 -- has fallen to its lowest level in 60 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Especially dramatic is the decline over the past decade, from 62.1 births per 1,000 females in 1991 to 49.6 last year.

This followed a two-decade period in which teen pregnancies were increasingly recognized as a serious social and medical problem.

Among the causes cited for the positive results are religious and family values, emphasis on abstinence, widely available contraceptives, sex education in the schools, and even the jobs and opportunities provided by the strong economy. (Remember, this information is a year old.)

One factor that seems indisputable is simple fear. Teen-agers are simply frightened of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

By treating teen pregnancy as a public health problem with an emphasis on education and awareness, we have seen this decline.

Although it is a truly positive accomplishment, it's no occasion to say, "That's one social problem solved. What's next?" Instead it's grounds for urging everyone involved with the problem to keep on doing what you've been doing.

Nevertheless, teen-agers are still getting pregnant. Babies being born to teen-agers are more at risk than babies being born to adults. Teen-age mothers live lives of diminished opportunity and often outright poverty. Need we hear more?