Teensource.org announces Condom Art Contest

For Immediate Release: March 11, 2008

California Family Health Council teams with LifeStyles to increase youth awareness of STD's through condom cover art contest with $500 prize.

The California Family Health Council announces the launch of the 2008 Condom Art Contest. This statewide contest aims to increase public awareness about Sexually Transmitted Diseases and correct condom use. This is a public art contest, open to residents of California between the ages of 13 and 25.  Selected entries will be printed in full color on condom packets and widely distributed!

New statistics and information about young people and their sexual health are alarming! A recently released report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) details the rising rates of STDs, particularly gonorrhea and syphilis, among young people 24 years-old and younger.

More than 1 million cases of Chlamydia were reported in 2006, the year the report details. Across the country, 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported, half of which occurred in young people ages 15-24 years old.

Further, data from a new study show that one in four teenagers ages 14-19 are infected with at least one of four STDS, including human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, genital herpes and trichomoniasis. The Condom Art Contest gives teens and young adults the opportunity to promote responsible sexual choices and educate their peers.

Condom package design and entry forms are due by July 1, 2008. Visit the official contest page at www.teensource.org for all the details and the official rules. A panel of teen judges will select six winners, who will be announced by September 30, 2008.  The winners will receive $500.  Updates and information can also be found on the CFHC homepage, at www.cfhc.org.

Contact:

Amparo Ruano - ruanoa@cfhc.org

About the California Family Health Council:

CFHC coordinates and supports the delivery of health services in community-based organizations throughout California. The organization distributes federal Title X family planning funds to community agencies serving low income communities, and also provides those agencies with technical assistance, training and financial services. CFHC performs advanced research in reproductive health care and contraception, conducts education, training and community outreach efforts, and tests, implements and monitors effective programs.