Seventy eight percent of West Virginia ninth grade students are abstaining from sex.  Yet, this percentage drops to 32% for twelfth grade students.  We are missing a great opportunity. Youth who are abstaining from sex can serve as a great resource who can encourage their peers to make right choices.  Youth who are not sexually active enjoy helping their peers as a peer counselor.  They also gain speaking skills and a mutual support group.  There are many benefits for youth who decide to wait to have sex.  Here are a few: Young adults who graduate from high school, get a full time job...

By Stacey UrbanA surgeon General’s report “Facing Addiction in America” finds that abuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs is a growing problem in the United States. The adolescent years are critical at-risk periods. Research show that many adults with substance abuse problems started drinking or taking drugs in their teen years. Teen-age substance abuse is linked to sexual risk behaviors that lead young people to contract sexually transmitted diseases and become pregnant. More needs to be done to lessen such consequences.  The report concludes that prevention programs for this risky...