Art Contest Examines Teenage Pregnancy

These days, it’s not enough to be a nice guy.

It’s time to Be a Responsible Awesome Guy--or simply put, it’s time to B.R.A.G.

With that catchy acronym, officials with El Concilio del Condado de Ventura are hoping to attract the attention of teenage males in Ventura County.

Project B.R.A.G. is a drawing contest co-sponsored by El Concilio and several community groups to increase awareness of teen pregnancy among young males.

“There has been a lot of emphasis on females,” said Eloy Florez, who is coordinating the contest. “I believe in the prevention aspect males have been forgotten.”

Boys and girls between sixth and 12th grades are invited to submit drawings that reflect the artist’s idea about “a man’s role in preventing teen pregnancy and his responsibility if a child is fathered,” Florez said.

The winning entries will earn a cash award. The drawings may be displayed on T-shirts, posters, book covers, bus benches and an Oxnard Boulevard billboard.

They will publicize an intensive program for teen pregnancy prevention scheduled to begin this summer in Oxnard, El Rio and Santa Paula.

Drawings should be on paper and can be done with crayons, markers or color pencils.

Entries should be sent to Eloy Florez at El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, 625 North A St., Oxnard 93030. The deadline for entries is May 27. For information, contact Eloy Florez at 983-2336, Ext. 230.