Programs Offered

SEXUALITY EDUCATION

If you are a teacher or member of any organization working with teens, and are interested in educating them about sexuality issues, the CHART Teen Task Force offers free sexuality education. The programs are presented by a trained sexuality educator.

As a trained sexuality educator, Melissa Miller, BS., can facilitate a program tailored to the needs of your organization. This includes programs for girls and boys, abstinence-centered programs, and comprehensive sexuality education including puberty, reproduction, abstinence/pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted infections, healthy relationships, and decision making.

Melissa presents programs in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools within the CHART Teen Task Force target counties: Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Shelby, Pike, Lewis, and Clark. Programs can also be expanded beyond schools, such as youth groups, health fairs, and other organizations that work with teens.

In 2024-2025 CHART Teen Task Force provided teaching in 18 area schools, providing sexuality education to 1732 students.

ALL of our programs are offered at NO COST to schools/organizations. 

To schedule a sexuality education program for your school or organization, please contact Melissa Miller at 573-470-8089 or millerm1828@gmail.com. 

 

Young female teen cares for empathy baby
Young male teen cares for empathy baby
Teens find out what it is like to care for babies

REALCARE BABY/EMPATHY BELLY

If you are an educator or member of any organization working with teens and are interested in educating them about the responsibility of caring for a child or the effects of pregnancy, CHART Teen Task Force offers REALCARE BABY and Empathy Belly.

Our community coordinator, Leigh Ann Bergman, facilitates two separate programs that each provide unique experiences for teens. REALCARE BABY and Empathy Belly Pregnancy Simulators both provide hands on experiences that allow teens the experience of caring for the needs of an infant or feeling the weight and restrictions of a pregnancy belly.

REALCARE BABY

There are 30 REALCARE BABY infant simulators in our program. The Coordinator is responsible for the upkeep of the simulators, education of teachers and students on their use, delivery to schools, and program evaluation. Each infant simulator is accompanied by a car seat and diaper bag which includes a diaper, bottle and/or breastfeeding sensor, baby blanket, baby wipes, a change of clothes, and a baby carrier.

When the  REALCARE BABY program is requested by a school or organization, the Community Coordinator will make arrangements to provide an onsite presentation within the school/organization to train teachers on how to use the infant simulators and demonstrate to the students how to care for the infant over the course of their experience.

In the 2024-2025 school year, 9 schools participated in the REALCARE BABY program providing over 437 students access to teen parenting simulations. Participating schools in 2024-2025 include: Bowling Green High School, South Shelby High School,  Palmyra High School, Hannibal Career & Technical Center, Hannibal Middle School, Highland High School, Paris Christian School, Canton High School, and Clark County High School.

Empathy Belly

The CHART Teen Task Force has two Pregnancy Simulators in the Empathy Belly Program. The pregnancy simulator gives the student a 30-35 lbs. weight gain, as well as other symptoms of pregnancy. Students will normally wear the simulator for 15-20 minutes and during that time participate in a series of activities, such as walking, sitting at a school desk, sitting on the floor, tying their shoe, etc., to obtain the unique hands-on experience.

When the Empathy Belly program is requested, the community coordinator will facilitate a time to provide an in-person demonstration of the simulator with the students, assisting students as they each participate in the experience of wearing the simulator.

In the 2024-2025 school year, 8 schools participated in the Empathy Belly program, providing approximately 385 students with the experience of pregnancy through the simulator. Participating schools in 2024-2025 include: South Shelby High School, Palmyra High School, Highland High School, Hannibal Career & Technical Center, Hannibal Middle School, Paris Christian School, Canton High School, and Clark County High School.

ALL of our programs are open to any school, church group, or youth group, in our seven county area at NO COST. Our seven counties include: Marion, Ralls, Pike, Monroe, Shelby, Lewis, and Clark.

Leigh Ann has been a member of the CHART Teen Task Force since 2001, and in her current role as the coordinator of our two programs since 2005.

If interested in either of these programs, please contact Leigh Ann Bergman at 573-822-4271 or ltbergman@hotmail.com.

    TEEN HEALTH FAIR

    February 7th 2026 – 11 AM – 2 PM

    Admiral Coontz Recreation Center

    Contact: Leigh Ann Bergman at  573-822-4271

     

    UPCOMING EVENTS

    Teen Health Fair 2026

    Save the Date - Feb 7th

    Support the CHART Teen Task Force when you shop at Walmart Online

    Donate your change by rounding up your orders to the nearest dollar at checkout when shopping at Walmart.com (not in the store). Ahead of purchasing and checking out, go to walmart.com/sparkgood, then type in CHART Teen Task Force to search and select. Each time at online checkout, you will be asked if you want to round-up.

    OR, you can donate products to the CHART Teen Task Force through Walmart Registry. Access this through walmart.com/sparkgood.

    CHART Teen Task Force

    PO Box 1321
    Hannibal, MO 63401

    573-822-4271

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