4
September 1, 1997
SMOKE SIGNALS
Help decorate Grand Ronde The facts and risks related to teen pregnancy
STROLL FOR SANTA is a walk-a-thon to raise money to purchase Christmas decora
tions for the Grand Ronde community. This annual pledged walk is from Sheridan to
Willamina (6 miles) on Saturday, September 13 with sign up from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The
event begins in the Memorial Plaza parking lot in Sheridan, ending at Coyote Joe's in
Willamina. There will be prizes and refreshments! Pledge sheets
are available.
The Stroll For Santa is just one fund-raising activity, others
need to be developed for example, bingo. The decorations
will be displayed throughout the streets of Grand Ronde.
However, a committee needs to be formed consisting of
community members and businesses to decide where, how,
and who will purchase and display these decorations. We
are encouraging all interested persons to join this com
mittee and bring your ideas and suggestions to the table.
If you are interested in the committee or need a pledge
sheet please contact: Sheila Herber at 879-2492; Barbara
Lake at 879-2476; or Perri McDaniel at 879-2487.
Friday, September 12 1 to 6 p.m.
Grand Ronde Elementary School
Family services provided Learning techniques and self awareness
Special presentation from 6 to S p.m.:
"Managing conflict at home"
Child care and dinner provided.
Co-sponsored by the Tribal Community Resources program,
Free Immunizations for kids
3 & 4 yr. old screenings
(vision, hearing, language)
Fingerprint IDs for kids
Life Flight
Fire Truck
Medic Unit
K-9 unit (police dog)
Dental screening
DARE
Water safety
Safe kids
Baby care info for new moms
Disability challenges
Blind demonstrations
Teenage pregnancy prevention
WIC eligibility
Blood pressure checks
Insurance information
Hearing tests and displays
Prizes for kids and adults
The United States has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the industrialized
world.
The younger the teen mother is, the older the father is likely to be.
Nationwide, 30 of the pregnancies to 15 year old girls were fathered by someone at
least six years older.
The health risk to teenage mothers are serious consideration as well; teen mothers are
more likely to have serious complications during pregnancy and delivery. An adolescent
pregnancy increases the risk of infant mortality 2 to 3 times the norm; and the risk of fetal
retardation is doubled.
The teen mother has a higher risk of cesarean section, an operation which is 20 times as
risky in a teen.
The mortality risk is 60 higher in a teen pregnancy, a 30 rate of toxemia exists
during pregnancy and anemia occurs 3 to 10 times more often than usual.
The percentage of teens receiving little or no prenatal care fell from 19.9 in 1993 to
15.7 in 1994.
Many times a teen will be afraid or in denial of pregnancy and try not to eat to remain
slim. Inadequate nutrition results from this behavior, including lack of vitamins A, B, and
C, lack of calcium and proteins.
20 of teen pregnancy happens one month after a teen becomes sexually active and
50 happens in the first six months.
The highest risk occurs when a teen becomes sexually active.
We are usually pointing fingers at male teens, but statistics say that most teen pregnan
cies are not teen-teen pregnancies, but adult-teen pregnancies. In a 1990 California study,
306 births involving teenage girls between 1 1 and 1 5 were fathered by adult males over the
age of 25.
The suicide risk for pregnant female teens is 10 times greater than the norm.
A recent study determined that 84 of the fathers of children bora to adolescent mothers
live apart from their children.
Only one-third of these fathers report visiting their children at least once a week one year
after the child's birth. 0 ' a
Even with more stringent child support enforcement, society continues to allow fathers
to neglect their parental responsibilities. Adolescent mothers will earn half the income of
those who become mothers over the age of 20.
Over 73 of teen mothers drop out of school, 44 will never graduate, and 49 of teen
fathers drop out of school as well.
Studies indicate that teenage fatherhood, like teenage motherhood, is likely to be re
peated from one generation to the next.
Information composed by Northern Plains Healthy Start project and Dorothy M.
Grandbois, artistphotographer. Native Monthly Reader, Volume 8, Issue 7, A Scholarly
Newspaper For Young Adults, Academic Yr. 96-97
Kid's don't arrive with an owner's manual
Polk County Services Integration Team and Chemeketa Community College will offer a
two-month course entitled "Parenting With Love and Logic," which will be held Monday
evenings during the months of October and November. Key learning concepts include:
SHARED CONTROL: Gain control by giving away the control you don't need.
SHARED DECISION-MAKING: Provide opportunities for your child to do a great
amount of his or her own thinking and decision-making.
EQUAL SHARES OF CONSEQUENCES AND EMPATHY: An absence of anger
causes a child to think and learn from his or her mistakes.
MAINTAIN YOUR CHILD'S SELF-CONCEPT: Increased self-concept leads to im
proved behavior and improved achievement.
Tuition for this class is free. The class is limited to 30 people. Call Wade White for more
information at (503) 623-6142.
HIGHDESERTWOLF TAXIDERMY
RAPTORS
WATERFOWL
CVSTOM & EXOTIC DISPLAYS
'QUALITY RESTORATIONS fr REPAIRS
John Hi5h&cscrtworf
W-472-9641
McMivwivillc