Joplin High School tries to deal with teen pregnancies - KOAM TV 7

Joplin High School tries to deal with teen pregnancies

About 3% of female students at Joplin High School are pregnant, adding up to 35 to 40 girls school wide each year.

Experts say teens are bombarded with sexual messages and there is also peer pressure to have sex even as freshman.

Lifechoices teaches "Virtuous Reality", a sex education program for 7th, 8th and 9th grade students.

The program emphasizes abstinence with a discussion of how contraceptives work and the risks of sexually transmitted infections.

Joplin Schools Superintendent C.J. Huff, Phd. says there is a need to do more at the high school level.

"Teen pregnancies are 15% higher than state average so there's an issue in this area that needs to be addressed," says Dr. Huff.  "The 'Man Up' - 'My Life' program is one way going about awareness with kids have important conversations with kids that need to be had, but might not be happening in the home."

Recently the district took high school students off site to participate in a supplemental program called "Man Up" for boys, and "My Life" for girls.