When is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy?
The 2010 National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is scheduled for May 5, 2010.
What is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy?
On the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, teens are asked to go online and take a fun, engaging "quiz" that presents them with several real life scenarios involving sex and asked them to choose a course of action.
In 2009, more than 450,000 people participated in the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (up from 75,000 in 2001).
For more information on the 2010 National Day, read our brochure and join our Notification Network.
How do teens take the National Day Quiz?
Taking the quiz is quick, easy, and fun. Teens can simply log on to the National Campaign's teen website — StayTeen.org — to go directly to the quiz.
Why a National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy?
Since the early 1990s, the teen pregnancy rate has declined 38 percent and the teen birth rate has declined 31 percent. In fact, few social problems have improved quite as dramatically over the past decade plus.
The most recent news on this front, however, has not been positive. The teen birth rate has now increased five percent between 2005 and 2007.
Many teens say they are concerned about pregnancy, but still think “it can’t happen to me.” But it does - to nearly 750,000 girls every year. And the number one reason teens give for not using protection is that they weren’t planning to have sex and that it “just happened.” Our National Day activities are designed to help teens come up with their own plans for avoiding pregnancy.
Who is the National Day Quiz for?
The quiz is appropriate for teens ages 13 and up.
Is there a printed version of the National Day Quiz?
Yes, but it will not be available until May. If you would like to know more about what kind of questions the quiz asks, you may view questions from the 2009 National Day Quiz in English or Spanish.
How long is the National Day Quiz posted online ?
The National Day Quiz will remian online at StayTeen.org throughout the month of May. However, we encourage teens to take the quiz on the actual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Is there a Spanish version of the National Day Quiz?
Yes. Teens taking the quiz will be allowed to choose between English and Spanish language versions.
Do you have printed promotional materials available for the National Day?
The National Campaign will release several items to help promote the National Day in February 2010.
Could National Day brochures be printed with my organization's information on them?
No. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to accommodate individual printing orders. We do have a free brochure, however, available for download.
Could I place a sticker with my organization's name and contact information on National Day materials?
Yes, we encourage people to do so.
What are the colors for the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy?
Red, white, and black.
Is there a particular item that signifies the National Day, for instance, a ribbon?
No. But there are materials that one can use to publicize the National Day. These will become available in February 2010.
What do you hope to accomplish with the National Day Quiz?
Simply by taking the quiz, we believe that tens of thousands of teens nationwide stop, think, and begin making a personal commitment to avoid pregnancy. To learn more, read the 2010 National Day Brochure.
Why a quiz?
Unlike most quizzes teens have to take, this one will include a series of scenarios, fun facts, and storylines that will invite teens to think about what to do in various challenging situations involving relationships and sex.
Who are the supporters of the National Day?
The National Day has widespread support from 238 national organizations and media outlets who serve as official National Day partners. For a full list of last year's partners, please review our 2009 National Day Partner List. A list of our 2009 National Day partners will be available shortly.
How Is the National Day Quiz created?
From the very first draft, teens are helping to develop and critique the scenarios and answer choices, including the Campaign own Youth Leadership Team, our DC Teen Advisory Group, our Youth Online Network, teen visitors to the Campaign's website, and many others.
In addition to teens, a diverse group of media experts and a variety of health and youth-service organizations help develop and review the quiz.
Are there any follow-up activities to the National Day Quiz?
Once teens complete the National Day quiz, they will be invited to visit the National Campaign's teen website — StayTeen.org — for further information on preventing pregnancy. Teens will also be asked if they would voluntarily like to stay connected with the National Campaign by joining the Campaign's Youth Online Network.
Why An Internet-Based Activity?
Surfing the web for health information and interactive games are two of the most popular online activities for teens. In fact, a recent national survey reported that young people use the Internet to search for health information more than to shop, chat, or download music. The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy combines the appeal of both activities — searching for health information and playing games — by informing teens about one major consequence of sex (pregnancy) through an entertaining online challenge. The online nature of this activity also allowed widespread dissemination of the quiz because teens could pass it onto their friends through e-mails and instant messaging. Consider the following:
- No matter how you measure it, the number of teens online is overwhelming and on the rise. Nine out of ten young people (ages 15-24) have gone online. About 17 million youth (aged 12-17) use the Internet — 73 percent of those in this age bracket. Put another way, 75 percent of 14-17 year olds and 65 percent of 10-13 year olds use the Internet.
- Internet use is increasing for people regardless of income, education, race, ethnicity or gender. For instance, between December 1998 and September 2001, Internet use by individuals in the lowest-income households increased at a 25 percent annual growth rate. Between August 2000 and September 2001, Internet use among Blacks and Hispanics increased at annual rates of 33 and 30 percent, respectively.
- Regardless of race or income, most teens can access the Internet from school. In 1999, 95 percent of American schools had Internet access.
- Of those online, two out of three young people (ages 15-24) have used the Internet to search for health information and one in four report they get "a lot" of health information online.
- Four out of ten young people (ages 15-24) who have used the Internet to seek health information report that they changed their own behavior because of information they found on the Web.