Carry On

Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski began volunteering with pregnant teens in 1976; she began teaching sexuality education in 1981. She founded the Teen Outreach in 1988 and has created numerous youth development and education programs that are in place in 38 schools from 23 school districts. Along with her Teen Outreach staff she has mentored over 5000 young parents. She produced the video ＂Voices - The Reality of Early Childbearing - Transcending the Myths＂ in 1998. ＂Voices＂ won an honorable mention from the National Family Relations Board in 2000. Dr. Podgurski has presented workshops locally, nationally and internationally. Her publications include Games Educators Play, What’s Up as YOU Grow Up?, Till Human Voices Wake Us (an original one act play about teen pregnancy) and Me Too: A Guide to Sexuality Education for Special Needs Children and Parents. Dr. Podgurski was the 2004 recipient of the Athena Women of Wisdom Award, the 2004 NOAPPP Outstanding Professional Award and the 2008 Washington County NAACP Human Rights Award. She is nurse and a counselor, a Lamaze International certified childbirth educator, and an AASECT certified sexuality educator and counselor. Dr. Podgurski’s vision is One Kid at a Time!TM; her goal is to provide each child with evidence-based educational programs that are innovative, empowering, and respectful of individual needs.