Interview: Principal and students of TAPP

(WHAS11) - Teenage pregnancy is getting a lot of attention these days, in part because Governor Sarah Palin's daughter is pregnant and in the spotlight and because 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears and her baby girl have made headlines and magazine covers.

WHAS11's Rachel Platt took a closer look at teen pregnancy and some local teen moms who say we need a reality check.

On the cover of OK Weekly, 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears and her new baby girl Maddie. The inside cover says "baby bliss" for Jamie Lynn. It looks picture perfect, she makes it look so easy.

The photos may not be giving teens the true picture, the grittier truth of how tough it can be and what they'll miss.

Like most teens, 17-year-old Jessica Logsdon rides the bus to school. The difference is, she's been up since 5 a.m. and brings her 2-year-old daughter Lizzie with her.

Once Lizzie gets a diaper check and hug from mom, Jessica is off to class at the teenage pregnancy program or TAPP. Lizzie stays behind in daycare. Jessica was just 14 when she had her.

Keandra Heath was 15-years-old when she became pregnant with Michael, she hid it for months.

Sara York, the principal at TAPP will tell you, real life doesn't look like what you see on the magazine covers.

Three out of 10 girls under the age of 20 will find themselves in this difficult situation.

Sometimes they have family support, sometimes they don't.

They are juggling babies, adult responsibilities and full time school.

These girls will tell you TAPP has changed their lives and the course of their lives.  TAPP has them thinking past high school, thinking ahead to college.

Both Jessica and Keandra are ready to graduate and go on to college to provide for their children. They credit TAPP with keeping them in school and looking to the future.

It's the reality check these girls wanted you to have.

There are two TAPP schools in Kentuckiana. Each school has about 150 teen moms enrolled.

Between the two schools, there are about 350 babies and children of teenage moms.

More about the TAPP schools