HASHPPAC Recognizes Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month with Workshop

HOLYOKE — The HASHPPAC (Holyoke Adolescent Sexual Health Pregnancy Prevention Accountability Committee) community engagement subcommittee will host a series of positive engagement workshops called Project: CHOICES during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Week in May.

The three-day workshop series will be held at Holyoke High School on Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m., followed by workshops at Dean Technical High School during the school day on Friday, May 8. National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is recognized throughout the month of May, with special recognition on May 6, which is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day.

Project: CHOICES is a positive approach to working with adolescents to delay unintended pregnancies. The interactive workshops — on various themes such as science, environmental studies, creative writing, dance, art, criminal justice, and social-media literacy — encourage positive choices and provide teens with an alternative, progressive approach to delaying unintended pregnancies.

These workshops will be hosted by community members and volunteers from local agencies, who have donated their time to support the efforts of the HASHPPAC community engagement subcommittee. Community partners include Holyoke Health Center, Girls Inc., Tapestry Health, Head Start, Holyoke Youth Task Force, Holyoke Board of Health, Holyoke Police Department, Holyoke YMCA, and several others. Holyoke Public School Department officials have played a large role in supporting the efforts of the Project: CHOICES event.