When you look at Cheryl Bennett, you’ll most likely see her bright smile, her kind eyes, and her warm demeanor. You probably won’t see the hero inside. Talk to her for a bit, and you will most likely walk away with the impression, “What a lovely lady,” but probably not think of her as a caped crusader.

This is because Cheryl Bennett is humble to a fault, and the only reason she is allowing this article to be published in the first place is the possibility of winning funds for the non-profit pregnancy clinic she works with, A New Generation, located in Hernando County, Florida. Cheryl regularly visits Hernando County schools and works with students from seventh through twelfth grade. Her mission? Teach kids what it means to have healthy relationships and to make healthy choices.

At first glance, it may seem like there wouldn’t be much need for such a program. Perhaps, to some of us adults, it may be so. But when Cheryl asked a class of over thirty seventh-grade girls at West Hernando Middle School how many of them have ever seen a healthy relationship, not a single hand went up.

The young ladies at West Hernando don’t live in a cave. They see relationships everywhere: at school, on TV, on the internet, and of course, at home. They are just smart enough to recognize that most of the relationships they are exposed to – think of the highly publicized Kardashian wedding, for example, or the child who has seen three “fathers” in as many years – are not healthy. When asked to describe what a healthy relationship should look like, most of them didn’t know how to respond.

Cheryl teaches both young men and women that relationships are more than just sex. She begins every discussion by acknowledging that there are three groups of kids in the room: one group that is already practicing abstinence, a second group that includes kids who have already engaged in intercourse, but could benefit from practicing abstinence in the future, and a third group who is going to participate in sexual activities regardless of what anyone says. “I’m not the sex police,” she tells them. “I am just here to provide the truth.”

The truth is that, while abstinence education may be controversial in the realm of politics, it is pretty straightforward in science. In spite of the rise of comprehensive sex education, and more free condoms given away to teenagers every year, the United States has one of the highest rates of infection of sexually transmitted diseases among the developed countries. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 19 million Americans have at least one STD. One in four of these 19 million are teenagers.

Armed with knowledge and a passion for sharing it, she empowers young people by teaching them that they are the masters of their own bodies, and that they deserve to be respected, physically and otherwise. She teaches them how and when to say no, and what making healthy relationship choices means to them in the present and in the future.

That sounds good, sure. But inquiring minds would like to know: Is the program working? The numbers say yes! Data compiled in 2006* showed that 47% of teenagers aged 15-17 were sexually active, and that 15% would become abstinent after quality abstinence education. Based on the population of Hernando County, it was determined that:

• 742 teenagers would become abstinent
• $582,386 savings in STD treatments
• $751,147 savings in pregnancy costs, including delivery, abortion, or miscarriage
• In 2000, the pregnancy rate among 15-19 year olds in Hernando County was 49.4 per 1,000. In 2008, the rate dropped to 39.9 per 1,000.
• All of the above resulted in a taxpayer savings of over $32 million

In October 2011, the Center for Disease Control released a statement that 75% of teenagers aged 15-17 are abstinent. These numbers have not yet been applied locally, but based on the 28% improvement, it can reasonably assumed that there are more healthy teenagers, more taxpayer savings, fewer STDs, and fewer unplanned pregnancies.

Numbers aren’t the only indication of the program’s success. Eighth-grade girls at Challenger K-8 expressed that this is a subject rarely talked about in school and never talked about at home. After Cheryl’s presentation, the girls commented that they felt very comfortable expressing their feelings and that there was no judgment. They liked knowing that someone like Cheryl is there for them. A sixteen-year-old boy at Springstead High School enthusiastically responded that he has changed his mind about sex, and wrote, “You impacted my life, and I just want to say thank you!”

Who is Cheryl Bennett? She is living proof that you don’t need to wear a cape to be a super hero.

*By the Numbers: The Public Costs of Teen Childbearing, November 2006, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

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