Idea for Teenwise Minnesota conceived at the National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention Conference in November 1989 by Nancy Nelson, Junior League of Minneapolis and Sherri Wright, Minnesota 4H Youth Development.
1990
Grant proposal written with Interagency Team on Adolescent Pregnancy to fund a five year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project of MN (TPPP/MN): including six community-based teen pregnancy prevention pilot projects, Teenwise Minnesota, the Clearinghouse and technical assistance.
Housed in Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning (MN Planning).
1991
TPPP/MN received three-year funding from Bush, Dayton Hudson and Northwest Area Foundations.
In-kind space and supervision from MN Planning.
in-kind direction of project from Teen Pregnancy Prevention Steering Committee (including representatives of MN Departments of Human Services, Education, Health, Economic Security, Planning and community organizations).
First Teenwise Minnesota organizing meeting held on June 18, 1991.
Teenwise Minnesota Prevention Specialist, Donna Fishman, hired in November 1991.
Three focus groups and one regional training held.
Four newsletters produced.
Donna Fishman becomes Director of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project of MN.
Nancy Nelson becomes the Teenwise Minnesota Prevention Specialist.
1994
Grantwriting with TPPP/MN to receive continuation of funding for entire project.
Third annual conference.
Barbara Huberman, Director of North Carolina Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project provides training to members, legislators and funders.
Two Public Policy Speakers.
Bureau trainings held.
Presentations at the Legislature and in the media.
Three newsletters produced.
Strategic planning consultant assists Board in developing a five-year strategic plan.
Two Fact Sheets are produced.
Teenwise Minnesota assists in development of the MN ENABL project.
1995
Fundraising, grantwriting and marketing consultants help Teenwise Minnesota to plan for independence.
Fourth annual conference held. Plans to adopt the clearinghouse after independence is confirmed.
Personnel policies are developed.
Plans to move out of MN Planning and separate from the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project are made; funding secured.
Three newsletters are produced.
Co-sponsored a Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) sexuality education training with Sexuality and Family Life Educators.
Produced the Community Empowerment Manual and conducted trainings with Planned Parenthood and MN Extension in Duluth and St. Cloud.
Received NOAPPP 1995 Outstanding State Coalition of the Year Award.
Presented at the NOAPPP Annual Conference.
1996
January 1—became independent from the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project of MN.
Moved to Face to Face Health and Counseling Service in St. Paul.
Trained Minnesota Education Now and Babies Later (MN ENABL) grant recipients in the spring and the fall.
Held fifth annual conference and first fundraising events with guest of honor Jane Fonda.
Produced four newsletters. Provided information and resources through the Teenwise Minnesota InfoExchange.
Teenwise Minnesota’s InfoExchange continues to provide local, state and national practitioners with research, statistics and program information through direct telephone and in-person consultation and Teenwise Minnesota’s website.
Teenwise Minnesota facilitates focus groups and statewide planning committee to examine impact of Minnesota Family Investment Program on adolescent parents. Advocacy efforts at the Legislature bring teen voices to the Capitol on school-based teen parent programs, male responsibility and fathering grants, and sexuality education.
Training and technical assistance are provided to MN ENABL and Abstinence Education grantees.
Teenwise Minnesota’s eighth annual conference is held, with Dr. Henry Foster, Dr. Robert Blum and Jodie Levin-Epstein as keynote speakers. Cultural Complementarity Dialogues are planned.
The Teenwise Minnesota Strategic Plan is revised to provide guidance from July 1999 through June 2002.
2000
Teenwise Minnesota focused on building partnerships with local, state and national partners to strengthen policies and programs on adolescent pregnancy, prevention and parenting.
Teenwise Minnesota trained grantees from 42 communities for the MN ENABL and Abstinence Education grants; developed the Get Started! Community organizing manual; coordinated Let’s Talk Month and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month activities throughout the state.
Teenwise Minnesota’s ninth annual conference was held in May, with more than 40 workshops and 400 participants.
The Teen Advisory Panel produced a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month poster.
Teenwise Minnesota’s Sexuality Education Survey of more than 600 Minnesota adults provided critical information about attitudes indicating nine in ten support comprehensive sexuality education.
Teenwise Minnesota coordinated Sex Ed for Life-MN, a coalition of to support comprehensive sexuality education. Teenwise Minnesota received media in every major outlet in the state.
Advocates for Youth provided technical assistance to Teenwise Minnesota as one of six statewide coalitions. Dialogues with communities of color were held to identify attitudes, knowledge and effective strategies to address high rates of teen pregnancy.
2001
Teenwise Minnesota worked with community partners and the MN Department of Health to advocate for the Governor’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative: ultimately the Legislature approved $9 million for teen pregnancy prevention efforts through Health Disparities, Home Visiting, Youth Risk Behaviors and MN ENABL. Teenwise Minnesota also worked to secure more funding for the Adolescent Parent Grants, which did not receive more money, but did not lose funding.
Teenwise Minnesota launched the Latino Outreach Project and convened the first statewide forum on Latino teen pregnancy.
Teenwise Minnesota’s tenth anniversary was celebrated with 450 people at an event featuring Jane Fonda at our tenth annual conference.
Teenwise Minnesota was honored by the Pan African Community Endowment Fund for our work with African American communities.
Teenwise Minnesota hosted Sarah Brown, executive director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, at a Minnesota Meeting.
In partnership with Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, Teenwise Minnesota co-sponsored Let’s Talk Month activities and resources.
The Minnesota Sexuality Education Resource Review Panel was coordinated by Teenwise Minnesota for the fourth year.
Sex Ed for Life Coalition provided training and advocacy on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and minor’s consent for reproductive health care.
2002
Teenwise Minnesota collaborated with the Penumbra Theatre to produce a performance piece for teen audiences and it premiered at Teenwise Minnesota’s eleventh Annual Conference in April.
We collaborated with three Latino community organizations to initiate Aqui Para Ti, a comprehensive youth development program in Minneapolis, funded through the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative of the MN Department of Health.
Teenwise Minnesota’s Let’s Talk Month and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month activities featured resources for parents, teens and communities in both performance, workshops, written materials and website resources.
The Sex Ed for Life-MN Coalition, co-convened by Teenwise Minnesota and the Minnesota AIDS Project, successfully advocated for comprehensive sexuality education and minor’s consent for reproductive health. The Coalition grew to include more than 40 organizations and provided advocacy training and educational opportunities for providers, peer educators and parents.
Teenwise Minnesota facilitated development of a memo of agreement between Hennepin County, the Minneapolis Public Schools, the Minneapolis City Mayor, and community organizations to ensure teen parents have access to necessary services to stay in school and develop positive parenting skills.
“Women Who Cook” performed for Teenwise Minnesota’s May fundraiser, with Women Who Really Cook providing a variety of foods at the Quest Night Club.
Teenwise Minnesota applied for and received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) one of five grants provided to state organizations to disseminate science-based strategies to prevent teen pregnancy. For this grant, Teenwise Minnesota is contracting with the National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Research Center to assist with evaluation and training around the Minnesota State Plan to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (A Work in Progress).
Teenwise Minnesota held our second annual Vive Tu Juventud Latino Forum in Minneapolis, featuring Debra Delgado from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Teenwise Minnesota received a significant grant from the St. Paul-Ramsey County (SPRC) Department of Public Health to coordinate the St. Paul Ramsey Co Teen Pregnancy Project.
2003
A new state administration and Legislature mixed with a dismal economy created challenges to many of the programs and policies that Teenwise Minnesota supports. The Sex Ed for Life-MN Coalition successfully held off attacks on comprehensive sex education and minor’s consent for reproductive health care.
The CDC grant gave Teenwise Minnesota the opportunity to assess the training needs of providers throughout Minnesota, as well as provide training on effective sexuality education, parent communication, and youth development/ sexuality education strategies.
Teenwise Minnesota worked with Nobles-Rock Public Health to convene two meetings in Worthington for parents and providers who work with Latino youth.
The St. Paul Ramsey County Teen Pregnancy Project Teen Advocates developed leadership and communication skills through creating a public service announcement and advocating at the Legislature. Additional funding from SPRC Public Health made it possible to coordinate four outstanding Teen Pregnancy Awareness Month events for African American, Native American, Asian and Latino providers focused on the link between sexual violence and teen pregnancy.
“Let’s Talk About It,” an original play produced by Central High Touring Theater was funded through the Sexual Violence Action Team and presented at both Let’s Talk Month, Teen Pregnancy Awareness Month and the twelfth annual conference.
Teenwise Minnesota’s twelfth conference featured Wayne Pawlowski and Barbara Sugland and more than 35 workshops for more than 400 providers from throughout Minnesota.