Today—like most days—over 230 boys and girls will be born in Tennessee nurseries.

Here lies the future of our community—the teachers, doctors, businessmen and women, the mothers and fathers, the citizens who will lead our state in the coming decades. Unfortunately, of the children born on any given day, two will never reach their potential because they will not make it to their first birthday. If these babies were born in certain Tennessee zip codes, up to five would not live to the age of one. As these babies grow into busy and curious preschoolers, more problems will soon arise. Out of the children born today, three will likely be expelled from preschool because of already developing behavioral problems.

By the time our future citizens reach second grade, we can expect two students out of most classes will have asthma.

When our children reach their 13th birthday, we can expect they already will be experimenting with risky health behaviors. Out of a typical middle school class, four will have already smoked their first cigarette, five will have already had their first drink of alcohol. By the time our kids have reached their high school years, many will be at risk of serious health problems. In a typical high school class:

●nine will be overweight;

●four will have considered suicide within the past year;

●five will be daily smokers at some point;

●five will have already had 4 or more sexual partners.

Whose children will defy the odds?