[Archived] The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Launches New Web Site for Parents and Teens

City Press Release


	For Immediate Release	For More Information, Contact
	June 29, 2007 PIO# 169-07/sjm	Steve Mason, Director of Communications, at 703.838.4300

The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Launches
New Web Site for Parents and Teens

As the summer break is just around the corner, many parents are checking their list to make sure their children are signed up for swimming lessons, summer camp, and planning their family vacation. The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) would like parents to add one very important task to the top of their list: talking to their children about love, sex, and relationships. It is never too early to begin the conversation with your children and research shows that youth hold parents’ values in high regard when making decisions on these issues.

ACAP has developed a new web site for parents to gather information and resources on talking to their children about sex. The web site, www.alexgetreal.com, was developed from ACAP’s theme to “Get Real About Sex.” This theme encourages parents to regularly discuss love, sex, and relationships with their children and help them make healthy choices that protect their future. The web site provides age-appropriate suggestions to parents on how to initiate a conversation about sex, love and relationships. It also features helpful information about teen relationships, sexual health, teen pregnancy statistics, and referrals to other resources. The web site has interactive features such as ACAP commercials, podcast interviews with parents and teens, and videos of ACAP events. The web site will be translated into Spanish by August 2007 for those whom English is their second language.

This web site is not only for parents, but also for teens. Teens can access these same resources independently or together with their parents. Teens can also use ACAP’s new text message line (703.717.TEEN), which provides answers to their most pressing questions about a variety of topics, ranging from relationships to their bodies to making good choices that protect their future. All text message questions are answered within 24 hours.

ACAP is a collaborative partnership between local City agencies, nonprofits and concerned citizens to reduce the rate of adolescent pregnancy. “ACAP’s goal is to significantly reduce the rate of teen pregnancy in Alexandria by providing education, outreach, and information to engage the community in addressing this problem together,” said Mayor Euille, co-chair of ACAP. “We encourage parents to be the primary educators of their children about love, sex, and relationships. We know from surveys of teens that they want to hear most from their parents about how to make decisions regarding these important issues in their lives.”

To contact ACAP about its programs, please call 703.684.ACAP. Once again, you can also check it out on the web at www.alexgetreal.com, or teens can send a text message to 703.717.TEEN.

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