Contributed photo Nekia Platt, Daisha Morrison, Summer Green, Tamara Nelson, Marlena Wilson, Tierra Dupuy, Gwen Miller, Jade Evans, Delisa Patterson, Aaliyah Patterson, India Ratliff, Breanner Wall, Alexis Thomas, Ladasia Webb, Alanna Peterson, Nile Fisher, Kaneisha Morrison, Caprice McCurdy, Savanna Perkins, Taliah Wall, Jaelyn Tillman, Shannon Morrison, Kiarra Cole, Mariah Mendez and Ciara Covington are some of the Girls Can! program participants who have taken trips around the state with the organization.

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Girls Can!, a program that started in April 2011, has been enjoying growing numbers since the program’s inception.

It was originally started with the hope of reaching around 50 adolescent girls, and introducing them to self-esteem and relationship building tools. The program has now reached more than 100 young girls, and is still going strong.

When Girls Can! is in session, girls meet twice a week at the health department to talk about things that are relevant to their age group, including pregnancy prevention.

Now, the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of NC has chosen the Richmond County Health Department out of 10 sites from across the state to welcome the first chapter of a program called Teen Health Now.

Teen Health Now is made up of high school and college students who care about sexual health issues and education. Teams of advocates work with their peers, community leaders and legislators to provide a voice for teen health.

Teen Health Now will begin on Aug. 1 at the health department in the large classroom. The first meeting will be from 4 to 6 p.m. This group is open to girls older than age 14.

Regular sessions of Girls Can! will kick off on Aug. 27 at the health department, session one will be held Aug. 28. Both meetings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Girls Can! meetings are open to girls ages 11 to 14.

Interested girls are encouraged to attend the meetings, which are free.

To find out more about either program, contact Courtney Wall, public health education specialist and teen pregnancy prevention coordinator at 910-997-8293.