. Teen pregnancy continues to be a problem for families, educators, health care professionals, and the government. Teenagers are not afforded the opportunity to learn or receive reinforcement on God's laws on abstaining from premarital sex because religious education is not allowed in the public school system. This increase has led to the creation of the Teenage Parenting Center (TAPP), located in southwest Georgia. TAPP is one of 64 schools in a school district that offers special benefits for pregnant and parenting teens. This qualitative case study used a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of eight former attendees of the TAPP program. Participants (N = 8) completed interviews, wrote a personal reflection, and completed a survey to determine their beliefs regarding the program’s effectiveness. Results showed that participants were satisfied with the practical help the program gave them. Being able to attend school where day care was available enabled participants to remain in school and, with one exception, to graduate from high school. Participants reported satisfaction with program components that helped them learn to plan ahead, think about their futures, and obtain further education and paid employment. All participants but one were gainfully employed, and six had attended or were attending an institution of higher education. The program was successful in encouraging participants to practice safer sex, but was unsuccessful in preventing additional pregnancies out of wedlock or improving moral values, as all but one participant had gone on to have more children and were living with a man to whom they were not married. Descriptors: case study, phenomenological approach, teen pregnancy, inappropriate relationships, lived experience, education on these relationships, and God's teachings iv ©Copyright by Marsha Brown 2013 All Rights Reserved v Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to the loving memory of my uncle, Horace Lee Love, who encouraged me to continue my education by reiterating, "You can never learn too much." He always stated after every educational milestone to “keep going sugar” and "keep God first." I love you and you are always in my heart. vi Acknowledgements Lord, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I could not have done this without You. All the long nights and tears have finally paid off. Thanks for Your unconditional love towards me. I want to thank my mom, sister, and Dr. Bunny Campbell for the encouragement and extra push to propel me forward when I wanted to give up. These three people have truly been angels in my life. I am grateful to have had a team of “Gladiators” to assist me through this process. I want to thank my mom, I am so grateful for you. I could not have done it without your love and support. When God assigned mothers, he gave me the best. You have been a great mother and father to me. Thanks for shaping me into the woman I am and for believing in me. I love you! To my sister, you are the world’s greatest little sister. Thanks for your spiritual guidance, encouraging words, and late nights of proofreading my papers throughout my educational journey. Thanks for loving me unconditionally and always believing in me. To Dr. Bunny Campbell, my advisor during my Master and Educational Specialist program at Troy University, you encouraged me to continue my educational endeavors and expressed to me that I could do it. I remember coming into your office asking you about this journey. You stated you would be honored to serve on my committee and I am forever grateful for your support. To my chair and committee, thanks for your support and encouraging words. To all participants in my study, thanks for allowing me inside your worlds. I pray that God continues to walk with you and your families. I wish you well. The United States (U.S.) continues to experience the highest teenage pregnancy rate among developed countries; the phenomenon remains a complex occurrence for families, educators, health care professionals and the United States government (Hardy & Landry, 2000; Kerby, 2009; Little & Rankin, 2001). The purpose of this chapter is to present a framework for the current research, and to provide a foundation for the problem that necessitated the study. The problem is twofold: first, the efforts put forth by the United States government and the educational system to successfully decrease teen pregnancy and, second, the lived experience of teens who have become pregnant and attend a teenage parenting program. Since the public school system does not allow religious education, the researcher will discuss the importance of God's teachings in chapter two. The focus of the study is teenage pregnancy among African-American young women. Children who are the products of teen pregnancies, regardless of race, are frequently plagued with problems, which do not fade away with time. Consequently, many children develop into troubled young adults, prone to negative behaviors such as dropping out of school, drug addiction, depression, or antisocial behaviors(Gilbert, Jandial, Field, Bigerlow, & Danielsen, 2004). This population often experiences a higher rate of incarceration because these behaviors frequently become a cycle. Considering these facts, it is imperative educators implement education on appropriate and inappropriate relationships as a component in the school curriculum to aid in the reduction of teen pregnancy. School-based education on appropriate and inappropriate 2 relationships can be an important and valuable way of enhancing young people's knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Effective and ineffective programs have been well researched, and there is widespread agreement that formal education should also include education on appropriate relationships. Avert (2009) suggested effective school programs should include the following elements: • A focus on reducing specific risky behaviors • A basis in theories which explain what influences people's inappropriate choices and behavior • A clear and continuously reinforced message about sexual behavior and risk reduction • Accurate information about the risks associated with inappropriate activity, contraception and birth control, and methods of avoiding or deferring intercourse • Dealing with peer and other social pressures on young people while providing opportunities to practice communication, negotiation, and assertiveness skills • A variety of approaches to teaching and learning that involve and