Memphis Black Arts Alliance will host its 2012 ARTS-A-F!RE  Summer Camp from  Tuesday, May 29, to Friday, July 27,  at the FireHouse Community Arts Center, 985 South Bellevue Blvd.

Camp hours are 7:30 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Extended care is available from 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thirty-five children, ages 9 to 17 from all  backgrounds and throughout the Mid-South region, will have an opportunity to discover black history and the creative impact of blacks on the world and to develop their own creativity. A diverse group of  professional  artists-educators and scholars will guide campers with fun-filled, culturally-inspired activities such as acting, art, music, dance, swimming, gardening, field trips and more.

Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region urges the Tennessee General Assembly to reject abstinence-only sexuality education and focus on improving the state’s dismal sexual health as conveyed in the report “Sexual Health of Young People in the U.S. South: Challenges and Opportunities,”  recently released by Auburn University at Montgomery’s Center for Demographic Research. 

Tennessee ranked poorly in all the metrics studied in the report, including teenage birth rates, infant mortality rates, sexually transmitted infection rates and condom use.