Promoting Life Skills in a Rural Community - Teen birth rates in the United States have dropped 68% since 2007 and are at record lows (2023) [1]. The decline is coupled with significant decreases in the percentage of high school students who have ever had sex (32%) or have had sex in the last 3 months (21%) [2]. Despite the decline in births to teens, disparities persist with teen birth rates highest in states across the southern part of the country, including rural areas. The state of Texas has a teen birth rate of 18.5 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19, 48% higher than the national rate of 12.6 [3]. In addition, Texas’ rate of repeat teen births 15.7 is among the highest in the country [3]. Data such as this shows the need for this rural community to be supported in healthy decision making regarding sexual activity and personal responsibility, including teaching information on resisting sexual coercion, dating violence, and other risky behaviors. UT Teen Health, a program of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, is partnering with Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (Uvalde CISD) to provide a Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) districtwide to its fourth thru twelfth grade youth. Uvalde CISD is set within a 1,093 square mile area in south-central Texas in Uvalde, Zavala, and Real counties. It contains four secondary and five primary campuses, educating 4,059 students, 2,677 of which are in the aimed grade levels (2022-2023) [4]. This district has been chosen due to a demonstrated need as is described below and confirmed by the high teen birth rates in Uvalde, and Zavala counties (16.9, and 35.3, respectively) [5]. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, UT Teen Health partners with Uvalde CISD, to implement effective PREP curricula to its youth from fourth thru twelfth grades on abstinence, contraceptives, and adulthood preparation subjects. UT Teen Health plans to reach 2,500 youth ages 10-19 annually with a medically accurate and age-appropriate adult preparedness program that is trauma informed, and sustainable, by supporting educators, administrators, and caregivers (parents, grandparents, guardians) with training to meet the needs of youth. In 2025, 32.4% of the children in Uvalde County were living in poverty. Among Uvalde County adults 25 and older, 78% of these adults have a high school education or less [6]. The six adult preparedness subjects 1) healthy relationships, 2) healthy adolescent development, 3) financial literacy, 4) parent-child communication, 5) educational and career success, and 6) healthy life skills, are urgently needed for the youth of Uvalde CISD. Uvalde County’s need for educational and career success, financial literacy and healthy life skills will benefit the rural community of Uvalde. The Project will focus on youth ages 10-19 in some of the highest risk and least served areas of Texas. Families of students in these schools have few resources available to assist them in communicating with their teens on topics such as teen pregnancy. The six adulthood preparation subjects will benefit families in Uvalde with an increase in Parent and Child communication and planning for the future. References upon request.
