By: Xin Lee TEEN PREGNANCY IN HISPANIC POPULATION IN MERCED: IMPLEMENTING SERVICE LEARNING

How common is teen pregnancy among Hispanic teens? According to the Centers for Disease Control, Hispanic teens experienced 209,000 births in California. The CDC states that teens of color (especially Hispanic teens) are more than twice as likely to give birth as white teens. There is no single cause of teen pregnancy in the Hispanic population. There are many factors. The rate of teen births cannot stop 100%; it can, however, be reduced A study conducted by the CDC found that for 1,000 women, Hispanic women were pregnant as teens (15-19).

So what? If the rate of teen parenthood continues to increase, about 2 to 3 children will be born to Hispanic teens in Merced, according to Paula Diaz of Planned Parenthood Merced. The increase in the rate of teen pregnancy can negatively impact our community. Millions of dollars is spent federally to fund supplemental nutrition assistance programs such as WIC and more. According to the National Conference of State Legislature, only 38% of teen mothers complete high school.

What can we do? Teen birth rates needs to decrease. There is no single method to completely eliminate teen pregnancy (other than practicing abstinence). My proposal is only going to be a comprehensive solution to this local issue.

Youth development programs There are many kinds of youth development programs. Youth development programs helps to promote: High academic success Provides support Encourages the youth to be actively involved in their community Assists students to find their strengths and weaknesses in school

Service learning program Instruction is integrated with community service A new way of learning Hands-on experience that is unlike learning inside classrooms

Proposal Service learning programs should be expanded and funding needs to be increased in Merced. Merced College and UC Merced students should serve as mentors and participate in service learning programs

Benefits of service learning Students working with college students from Merced College and UC Merced will inspire teens to pursue their education Students will find college students to be more relatable compared to working with adults Diverts students from their desire to engage in sexual activities because they are occupied with participating in engaging community service and learning College students can also inform teens about the consequences of becoming a teen mother Students will have someone more age-appropriate to talk to

Incentive Scholarships should be awarded for those who attend all service learning projects Students will be entered in a drawing These scholarships will motivate students to be involved in their community Awarding scholarships will encourage students to pursue their college education

Funding Service learning programs could apply for grants Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Offers community grants here in Merced Multiple cycles of grants which increases the chances of being awarded one Summer “mini grant” Merced has an advantage

Conclusion Service learning programs should be amplified in Merced. Funding should increase for this youth development program. Although teen pregnancy cannot be eliminated entirely, teen birth rates can decrease. Benefits: Motivates and inspires Hispanic teens to focus and to succeed in school Having teens actively volunteering in their community will divert their desire to engage sexual activity Establishes long lasting relationships with their mentors Teens will receive insightful advice from their mentors Prevents misinformation, therefore decreasing teens’ chance of getting pregnant or of getting someone pregnant