When Kara Schilling learned she was pregnant in the middle of her junior year of high school. she wasn't sure if she would graduate.'It was really hard to make sure I got my homework done. It wasn't my main priority ' my daughter was.' she said.Schilling. who received her diploma last month. is among a growing number of Charles City teens who are becoming parents while still in school.
High school principal Shirley Kelly estimated that 15 students were pregnant during the 2005-2006 school year. up from approximately five the previous year. Kelly noted that some pregnant students moved in or out of the district during the school year.'It's a very unusual year.' commented high school counselor Nancy Kies. who helps students and parents find resources and information on teen pregnancy.Charles City's pregnancy rate grew to approximately 2.5 percent of the student body ' 5.7 percent of female high school students. The trend is different in other schools.
'I have not seen this nationally or through the state of Iowa. The teen pregnancy rate has dropped.' said Pam Erickson. coordinator of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program for North Iowa Community Action. 'We've had no school report that teen pregnancy went up at all.'The state pregnancy rate for 15- to 17-year-olds decreased from 26 pregnant teens per 1. according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.Charles City's increase in students becoming parents led the school to offer a new parenting class. as well as consider what programs can be offered to curb teen pregnancy and look at the source of the problem.
Finishing schoolFor Schilling. keeping up with homework and juggling her class schedule continued to be difficult after her daughter was born.'It was really hard. I just never wanted to be there because I wanted to be with her. but I knew I had to finish my education.' she said. 'I got really lucky and I have family in town that would help out ' my parents and my grandma.'
While in school. Schilling had her boyfriend watch her daughter in the mornings. Her grandmother cared for her in the afternoons and Schilling picked her up after finishing class for the day. Her parents watched the baby when Schilling worked at her part-time job after school.'You have to multi-task a lot.' she said. 'There's bottles to wash. you just don't get time to do your homework. There's so much going on.'Schilling said she missed some of the activities other students take for granted.
'I can't just go out and go shopping like my friends. All my money goes to diapers. toys and car seats.'Schilling graduated with her classmates on May 21.'I couldn't believe I did it.' she said. 'I was behind a credit or so and I had to really. really work. I was really excited when I walked across the stage. I'm glad it's over. It got so overwhelming at times. but I had my family and friends pushing me.'
Kelly said the school works to help students remain in class. but sometimes attending Carrie Lane High School. an alternative school. is a better fit for a student because it offers six-week instead of 12-week terms.Three of the 15 students at Carrie Lane were pregnant this year. according program coordinator and instructor Don Betts.'What we are able to do is be a little more flexible. Obviously. when you are pregnant. there are other issues that come up. like doctor appointments.' he said.
Betts said pregnancy is among the top five reasons students attend Carrie Lane.'We've seen an increase the last few years (in pregnant students). but I think that's a natural cycle.' he said.All students at Carrie Lane are required to take a parenting class.
'My feeling is most everybody. is going to be a parent. I think we need to do a better job of preparing people to be parents. because it's the most difficult job in the world.'The school's roleWhile the increase in teen pregnancy is evident in the hallways at the high school. Kelly says the problem needs to be addressed at home.
'It's becoming a school issue. but really it's a family issue. We cannot monitor their habits outside of the building.' she said.Though the school district has a curriculum to teach human growth and development classes. Kelly emphasized that parents need to be aware of what their children are doing.'This is a community thing. The school only has so much control. We can talk all we want in school. but there still has to be some parental input.' she added.Kelly said the school's primary objective is to educate students.'From our perspective. number one is education and the need to have access to education.' she explained. 'Depending on their medical reasons. some (pregnant students) are able to finish by doing school work at home. Our faculty is very willing to work with students for the good of their education.'Parenting educationA parenting class was offered at the high school this year to teach students the basics of giving birth and raising children. The class was led by Floyd County Extension Office Director Brenda Schmitt.'The students that are going to become mothers have education needs that others do not. like child development. medical issues with children and early habits. There was all kinds of things Brenda was able to bring in because of (the student's) status.' said Kelly.Approximately nine students who were either pregnant or already a parent participated in the class. with a United States Department of Agriculture-approved curriculum.Schmitt said students learn about having a healthy pregnancy. including proper nutrition and the importance of remaining substance-free. They visited Floyd County Memorial Hospital. where they learned more about the birthing process.'The first five years of life are so critical to kids growing up healthy. If you listen to what these (teens) do - some of them hold down jobs. they go to school. Taking care of themselves and their baby usually isn't the first thing on their minds. but it needs to be.' said Schmitt.Students are also taught about different child growth stages. brain development and planning a family budget.Students earned credit for taking the class and ISU Extension arranges for speakers. handouts and other materials necessary. The class was only offered one trimester this year. but Schmitt said the school may look into expanding it into a year-long program.Schilling. who was already raising her now 10-month-old daughter when she took the class. said the support students offered each other was the most valuable part of the parenting course.She took a similar class. that was held at Washington Elementary School. while she was pregnant.'The parenting class prepares pregnant teens and teaches them what they should expect.' said Schilling. 'A lot of girls would come to me and ask questions. It was kind of like a big support group.'Prevention educationWhile the parenting class is offered to students who are parents or will become parents. classes on preventing pregnancy begin in fifth-grade. Students learn about human growth and development and sex education during life skills. health and science classes. according to middle school principal Ron Hoffman'Fifth-grade is where it starts and it carries into sixth-. in the life skills curriculum.' explained Hoffman.He said the classes emphasize that students should abstain from sexual activity. though classes do touch on birth control methods.'They're going to give kids knowledge of everything. It's basically the stance of the district. This was from a committee meeting years ago that the best way to not get pregnant is abstinence.' said Hoffman. 'When teaching sex education. abstinence would be taught as the only real sure way of not getting pregnant.'At the high school. Donna Forsyth includes a unit on the reproductive system in her biology classes.'We spend a lot of time talking about the choices they make. The basis for our curriculum is abstinence is the only choice for teenagers.' she said.Students are taught about birth control methods and sexually transmitted diseases. and write a paper to express their view points. Forsyth said.'The whole basis is to get them thinking about what's right and wrong. and overwhelmingly. we're hearing the best option for them is abstinence. eighth-graders in the school district were offered a program called 'Worth the Wait' that taught about pregnancy prevention. sexually transmitted diseases and other topics through Erickson at North Iowa Community Action.The program was not offered this year.'Because of funding to the state of Iowa cut by the federal government. this year we were not able to offer the program in Charles City.' said Erickson.She said she expects funding to be reinstated. so the program can continue to be offered. The program. formerly known as 'It Takes Two.' was conducted in 23 school districts for the past 11 years by North Iowa Community Action. which serves nine counties. Because schools had to pay for the program themselves this year. only four or five hosted the program. according to Erickson.'We really feel programs like these are very helpful.' she said.Finding solutionsErickson said that. while programs like 'Worth the Wait' can help curb teen pregnancy. more is needed to decrease teen pregnancy.'One thing that often helps is if a community wants its kids to be aware of birth control options. ... Sometimes people think talking about birth control encourages kids to have sex. That's a connection I have never understood. All scientific research has proven that that's not the case.' she said.North Iowa Community Action also offers resources to students and parents through the Web site teenpregnancy and through Family Planning. a clinic in Mason City that offers services to low-income individuals who need help paying for birth control.Erickson said knowledge is the most important factor in preventing teen pregnancy.'Education. for both parents and students. she said.Kies and Kelly said a group of concerned educators began meeting to determine if there is something the school can do to cut teen pregnancy in Charles City.The committee is looking for programs that could be offered for younger students.'It's a group of individuals that saw an issue and had a concern and wanted to see if there are any successful programs we could feed into.' said Kies.The group of three teachers and two school counselors faces some challenges.'Funding is being cut.' said Kies. 'There are programs we would like to have. but there's no money. (The committee) is seeing what can be done.


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