Teens Against Teen Pregnancy
United States
In the Teens Against Teen Pregnancy project, 8th-grade students in a language arts class chose relevant community issues, and created public service announcements to raise peer and public awareness.
A group of six students focusing on teen pregnancy became immersed in the project and wrote, designed, and later participated in the production of a public service campaign for television and print. Their PSA for television began airing statewide during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. At the same time, their companion print piece was widely circulated across the state. Projecting direct, no-nonsense messages, the television script and print piece received first-place honors in a national contest.
The project was an extension of an existing advertising and mass media unit within the language arts curriculum. Students learned how to target an audience, focus a message, and present that message in a persuasive and professional manner. The group also learned advanced leadership skills, which were demonstrated by their self-motivation, perseverance, and ability to work collaboratively to accomplish goals.
Students taking a telecommunications course also got involved, tutoring project participants and sharing practical knowledge on video production techniques.
Adapted from "Learning from Experience: A Collection of Service-Learning Projects Linking Academic Standards to Curriculum," © 2000 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (800) 243-8782. www.dpi.state.wi.us/pubsales. Used by NYLC with permission of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
