Health expert warns teens about risks of sexual activity

In her nine years as a counselor for young pregnant girls, Pam Stenzel heard the words "nobody told me" over and over.

On Monday, Stenzel left Cape Girardeau County knowing that thousands of local teenagers had been told about the risks involved with sexual activity.

In conjunction with the Teen Pregnancy and Responsibility Network, a collaboration of local agencies which addresses teen pregnancy and prevention, the counselor-turned-international speaker gave hourlong programs at Central High School, Notre Dame Regional High School and R.O. Hawkins Junior High on Monday.

At R.O. Hawkins Junior High School, Stenzel began her program with more than 700 eighth- and ninth-graders by asking what teenagers most feared would result from sex.

"Pregnancy," one students piped up.

Yes, but what about herpes, genital warts and the 28 other sexually transmitted diseases infecting Americans, Stenzel asked.

"These are serious diseases. They have serious consequences," Stenzel said. "And yet we still have teenagers who actually think 'if I don't get pregnant or AIDS, then I'm fine.'"

Stenzel lectured on various risks associated with sexual activity, including pregnancy and diseases, and advised students to wait until they're married before engaging in sex. She also urged any students who had already been sexually active to get tested for diseases.

Many of the students at Jackson's junior high were surprised by some of the things Stenzel had to say.

"I had no idea there were that many diseases, I'd only been told about two or three, " said 15-year-old Emily Dietl. "Everything she said was really true."

Stenzel's visit was the result of a special youth committee forum that took place in May 2003 through the United Way of Southeast Missouri. At the forum, local teenagers identified concerns about pregnancy and suggested that schools have more presentations on the side effects of sex.

cclark@semissourian.com

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