"Prom Promise" Means Abstinence for Teens Governor Mike Easley will be proclaiming May as Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. As part of the observance, the Johnston County Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention is sponsoring an abstinence-based message at every high school in Johnston County. The United Way has sponsored the Coalition for the past 10 years. Just prior to the annual prom at every high school, Coalition members will visit high schools during lunch to encourage students to sign a pledge to practice abstinence from sex, drugs, and alcohol on prom night. Each student who signs the abstinence pledge will be given a pen engraved with the slogan, "Prom Promise: Having Fun, Being Responsible" to remind them of their promise. Several area businesses from the Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce donated the cost of the pens. The Prom Promise campaign began on Thursday, March 24 at Smithfield-Selma High School. On April 7, Coalition members will be at West Johnston High School (10:55-1:10), Princeton (12:45-1:20), South Johnston High School (11:00-12:55), Clayton High (10:45-1:00), and North Johnston High School (11:00-1:00) to continue the Prom Promise pledge campaign. In North Carolina during 2002, 18,457 girls between the ages of 10 to 19 were pregnant. In Johnston County that same year, 289 girls between the ages of 10 to 19 were pregnant. Every day in North Carolina, 51 girls become pregnant. The local Coalition, in conjunction with the Adolescent Parenting Program with the Department of Social Services, plans activities throughout the year to promote prevention of teen pregnancy in Johnston County. Recently in February, Teen Moms in Johnston County spoke to 7th grade students about the challenges of being a teen parent and encouraged abstinence among teens.
