“Just an old sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind…”

You could almost hear the music of Ray Charles, and Georgia’s state song, at the Aspire training in Macon at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on January 9. The room was filled with more than 100 educators, abstinence workers, and health professionals for the day-long training by Scott Phelps, author of Aspire abstinence curriculum.

What did the Georgians think of Aspire?

1. “The training most definitely met my expectations. I now have enough knowledge and tools to set up the program and succeed.” Sandra Walker
2. “Aspire effectively helps the kids think and reason out issues, pressures and reality of choices. It puts the ball in their court and shows them the choice is theirs! Speaker (Scott Phelps) was phenomenal! Very engaging!” Ellie Grimes
3. “I liked the sequential way the workbook makes the student think about their life choices, and the effective way Scott Phelps presents the message.” Monica Walters
4. “Scott Phelps is extremely knowledgeable of the subject and gave several hands-on activities to use with students.” Tyshiba Maxie

Danielle Ruedt, Title V Director for Georgia, said, “Aspire is an easy to follow program. This is something an organization can implement without a lot of money. I would like grantees to consider this curriculum.”

Click here to write Aspire into your grant. Don’t forget to check the training page to find a training near you.

“…Just an old sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind…”

New Year’s Resolutions

The calendar date becomes January 1 and the world resolves to do things different. Many people pledge to lose weight, become physically fit, and watch what they eat. Others make plans to spend more quality time with their family, and some check their bank accounts and vow to spend less money in 2007.

While it’s good to reflect upon the last year of our life and make changes for the year ahead, I can’t help but think about some of my friends and family members… what if I could make a resolution for them? Not that I think in particular something is wrong or bad in their life, but often times I see a purpose for them greater than they believe they can attain. I have hope for their lives to make a difference in the world, even when they may be lacking that hope.

What resolutions would you make for the people in your life? Your family, friends, co-workers, students, teachers, even your boss? What if we could make a resolution for abstinence education? What would that look like?

I was researching some statistics about abstinence education and found several facts about what parents want their children taught in school.

• Over 90 percent of parents want sex education programs to teach teens to abstain at least until they have finished high school.
• 91 percent of parents want teens to be taught that the best choice is for sexual intercourse to be linked to love, intimacy, and commitment. These qualities are most likely to occur in a faithful marriage.
• 79 percent of parents want teens to be taught that they should not engage in sexual activity until they are married or at least in an adult relationship leading to marriage.
• 68 percent of parents want sex education programs to teach that individuals who are not sexually active until they are married have the best chances of marital stability and happiness.
• Only 7 percent of parents say it is okay for teens to have sex as long as they use contraception.
• Only 2 percent of parents believe abstinence is not important.

What did you teach the teenagers in your life over the last year? I have worked with many teens over the last few years, but I wonder if sometimes I leave out an important message.

Research statistics found at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/wm461.cfm.