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| PROJECT INFORMATION & BACKGROUND |
Project
Planning Awareness and Responsibility for Teens (PART) was established
in the Fall of 2000 through a diocesan grant to Region 18. Region
18 includes St. Procopius and St. Thomas parishes in New Salem,
All Saints, Masontown, St. Hubert, Point Marion and Our Lady
of Perpetual Help in Leckrone, Fayette County. The objective
of the planning grant was to address the issue of awareness.
Records
indicate that the teen pregnancy rate in the Albert Gallatin
school district in Fayette County is the second highest in the
Commonwealth of PA. When this fact came to the attention of
that Region's Pastoral Council, they knew they needed to get
the message out to the community to address this obvious need
and eventually mount a prevention program.
Efforts were initiated
to assist teens and their families in their responsibilities
of parenting and family life through a comprehensive and collaborative
program of awareness, education and prevention. A task force
was formed to begin implementing the planned direction of Project
PART. Sr. Mary Francis Bassick explains, "The task force
represents the parishes in the region, teens, schools, and Catholic
Charities. We have had some wonderful support from Denise Martin,
Superintendent of the Albert Gallatin school district. Eventually,
we hope to this project as 'teen driven.'"
The task force
completed their three primary objectives with the help of the
docesan grant: |
| 1. |
Developed and circulated a directory of
community resources for teens and their families. |
| 2. |
Mounted a media/public relations campaign
--- to include public service announcements, a new web
site that will be linked to other informational sites,
and a road-side billboard featuring our web site address. |
| 3. |
Sponsored a several events for teens with
banners, giveaways, prizes and pamphlets about the issue. |
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Early
in the summer of 2001, the task for began placing display booths
at the local parish festivals in the region. Teens helped to
staff the booths and raise awareness of the Project. Entries
were taken from teens for a placemat design contest. The winning
placemats are being used by local restaurants in the area.
Sr.
Mary Francis was happy to indicate that not only was Project
PART on the right directional track, efforts are underway to
involve the teens in their congregations, a regional youth group
was formed. |
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