Denver school launches safe sex initiative, distributes contraception

As the number of sexually active teenagers continues to rise, some schools are stressing the importance of practicing safe sex.

For instance, with their parent's consent, students who attend a Denver-based school can take advantage of the availability of condoms, birth control pills and emergency contraception. Bruce Randolph School, which houses grades six through 12, is the first school in the area to provide its student body with free access to these services, according to The Denver Post.

This movement comes after the number of teen pregnancies in Denver spiked in 2007, as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports that out of every 1,000 girls aged 15 to 17 years, approximately 42 individuals became pregnant.

Tina Maestas, a parent of two Bruce Randolph students, told the news source that "any amount of appropriate education and access is not only going to be beneficial for the youth, but to their family and our community in general."

In addition to teen pregnancy, those who have unprotected sex are also putting themselves and their partners at a higher risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). In fact, every year, more than 19 million people are diagnosed with STDs, and approximately half of these individuals are aged 15 to 24 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.