May 6, 2009 7:03 am US/Eastern
Bristol Palin Campaigns To Prevent Teen Pregnancy
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Bristol Palin, 17, holds her brother Trig during a rally for her mother and John McCain in Dayton, Ohio, August 29.
Bristol Palin, daughter of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, will take part in a national campaign to prevent teen pregnancy.
The now-18-year old made headlines during the presidential campaign because she was pregnant, unmarried and the daughter of the Republican vice presidential nominee.
She gave birth to a son in December.
Palin has been appointed Teen Ambassador for
The Candie's Foundation, a group dedicated to preventing teen pregnancies.
"That can't be the 'be all and end all' of what we do in reaching out to young people," said Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy.
Quinn says Palin's celebrity will bring attention to the issue, but it's not one of the three crucial things teens need; comprehensive sex education, access to contraceptives and hope for a bright future.
"Young people need to understand and see a viable path to adulthood that would be interrupted by too early sexual activity or a pregnancy."
We asked teens in downtown Boston if they felt Palin would be a good role model.
"I don't really think so," said 17-year-old Alanna McCarthy. "She's raising the baby fine, so they (teens) will think they can do it OK, too."
Sade Brown, 19, said, "No, because I don't think it's as hard for her as it is hard for regular people out here."
But, 16-year-old Avernelle Callender said, "She wants other teens to be teenagers and not doing sex…so I think that's good."
Wednesday is the
National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Palin will take part in a panel discussion in New York.
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