It's about Desiree Sentz, who was 15 when she had her son and bounced him on her knee before she fully understood birth control.

It's about James Wilson, who stood by a girl he didn't know very well, because he had gotten her pregnant.

And it's about their 2-year-old son, Cade, who brings them joy.

In telling their story, Sentz and Wilson seem to be looking for a little understanding from people who said they would never amount to much, to show that they did not become a welfare mom and a deadbeat dad.

They graduated from Downey High School in Modesto on Thursday night, have jobs and plan to go to college.

Their parents, who were shocked and disappointed by the pregnancy, still love them.

And, the teen parents are raising Cade.

"Nobody expected this from me," Sentz said.

Sentz, 17, and Wilson, 18, have routines in place that make parenting possible.

Jo Hanner, Sentz's mom, took care of Cade when he was a baby. Sentz and Wilson have taken on more responsibility this year by taking him to school with them.

Balancing classes, parenting

Sentz got up at 6 a.m. to get Cade dressed and fed and ready for school. Wilson arrived at 7 a.m., to help her push the stroller down Coffee Road to Downey High. They got their son settled in the campus day-care center by 7:30 a.m. and made it to their classes before the bell rang at 8.

They returned during free periods to help, ate lunch at the center while Cade was sleeping, and took a parenting class before loading their baby back into the stroller and walking home.

They coordinate baby-sitting schedules with Hanner, who works nights, so Sentz can flip burgers at Jack in the Box and Wilson can work at T.J. Maxx, where he counts cash in the office.

They also count on Roger Hanner, Sentz' stepfather. He says he and his wife will help their daughter and grandson as long as she remains in school.

"Des made a mistake, and in my mind, everybody makes mistakes," Jo Hanner said. "She shouldn't be punished for that mistake for the rest of her life."

Wilson, who says he wants to be a father, helps pay for diapers and toys and was the only boy in the parenting class at school.

He seems glad to be part of his girlfriend's family. He is welcome in the Sentz home, but must sleep on a futon in his son's room if he stays over.

He also helps pay the rent at his home and works most nights, so he's not always available to help with the baby. His mother and stepfather want him to stand by his girlfriend, he said, but they're not involved in Cade's day-to-day care.

"I want to help out. I'm an adult. I have responsibilities," Wilson said.

The Downey High day care -- which had 16 babies this year -- is a haven for teen parents.

Teen moms can leave their babies there, for free, as long as they agree to take a parenting class and help out for one class period each day. Dads can get involved if they want to, but it's not required.

Modesto City Schools gets about $600,000 a year from the state for several programs: one at Downey, which started 20 years ago, and ones at Modesto High School and the Elliott Alternative Center for Education that started about five years ago.

Officials hope to keep the young mothers in school and off welfare, but they don't track their progress after graduation.

In 2001, there were 998 births to mothers ages 19 and under in Stanislaus County, according to the Health Services Agency.

Jan Husman, a registered nurse who works for the Health Services Agency and visits teen-age mothers in their homes, said teen-age parents often come from families where domestic violence and drug use are common, and they need help to bring stability to their lives. Some had babies because they wanted someone to love them, she said, while others made mistakes in the heat of the moment.

"School, for a lot of them, is a refuge," said Husman, who noted that Ceres and Patterson high schools also have programs for teen-age parents.

At Downey High, day-care teachers make sure the children get breakfast and lunch, play games that help them develop motor skills, go outside for fun and take naps.

The teen moms find peers who know what it's like when the baby won't sleep through the night, throws a tantrum at the mall or gets an earache that leaves them stuck at home the day of a big test.

Teachers tell them what to expect from their sons and daughters and help them talk through their problems. They try not to judge.

"We're just here to help them stay in school," said infant-care teacher Michelle McCarthy.

Family time

Cade, who was born on Valentine's Day, knows he's the star of the show.

When he arrives at school, friendly faces lean down and try to make him laugh. In his classroom, Cade points to his artwork, a tomato and a carrot he painted. At home, there are baby pictures scattered throughout Mommy's room. She also has photos of him tucked under the plastic sleeve of her school binder. Daddy has photos in his wallet.

Their favorite family portrait was taken at the prom, when Cade donned a tiny tuxedo so he could drop his parents off at the big dance.

When they get a chance to relax on a hot afternoon, Mommy and Daddy act like playful teen-agers who had to grow up fast.

Wilson, who is playing with a Super Soaker, chases Cade around Sentz's back yard. Soon, the toddler has had all he can take. So he holds up his hand and uses his big-boy voice.

"Stop now," Cade says. "Stop."

Mommy intervenes.

"James, stop. He asked you to stop," Sentz says. "You need to stop. I love you. But when he asks you to stop, you need to stop."

Facts of life

Sentz and Wilson -- who made a baby during their freshman year -- can't quite explain why they did it.

They were hanging out, but not officially dating, and readily admit to being reckless.

Now she and Wilson think teens should wait to have sex, or at least get all the facts about birth control before they do.

The two became a couple in August 1999, after Sentz told Wilson she was pregnant. She considered abortion, but changed her mind on the way to the clinic.

Wilson thought she made the right choice and started hanging around more.

"All you've got to do is pay," he said, "but that's no reason to take another life, because you messed up."

Laura Tarlo, director of a teen pregnancy prevention program run by the Health Services Agency, said teen pregnancy rates are declining across the nation because students have more access to birth control.

But young people still believe things that aren't true or ignore the fact that sex comes with consequences, she said. And at least 50 percent of high school students are sexually active by the time they graduate.

Schools and parents need to do more, she said, because a short chat in health class is not enough to help a teen-ager make good choices.

"A 13-year-old is pretty much not capable of thinking past this afternoon," Tarlo said.

Sentz and Wilson talk about getting married someday, but their parents have urged them to wait. In the meantime, Cade has given Mommy and Daddy a reason to get serious.

School officials had said that Sentz should drop out of college prep classes and take easier ones that would give her more time with her baby. She refused, and raised her grades from mostly C's and D's to mostly A's and a few B's.

"My son made me work harder," said Sentz, who has received $10,262 in Cal Grants for college.

Kids at school said Sentz would get pregnant again and asked Wilson how long he would stick around before ditching her. He told them they were crazy and found a new set of friends.

"I actually care about her," said Wilson, who noted that he raised his grades, too. "I actually want to be with her."

Sentz and Wilson will go to Modesto Junior College next year, and both hope to transfer to California State University, Stanislaus, after two years.

Sentz said she had heard about birth control before she got pregnant, but didn't know there were free clinics where she could get contraceptives until after she had her baby.

Wilson said he should have waited.

The couple recently saw a video promoting abstinence in their parenting class, and they agreed with much of what it said. But they didn't think it was the solution.

"It made us think," said Sentz, who still has braces on her teeth. "But it wouldn't have stopped us."

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WHERE TO TURN

Various local agencies offer help to teen-agers who are in trouble:

California Youth Crisis Line: (800) 843-5200.

Center for Human Services: 526-1440.

Children's Crisis Center: 577-4413.

Health Services Agency: 558-7000.

Hutton House, for runaway and homeless teens: 526-5544.

Planned Parenthood: 579-2300.

STANISLAUS STATS

Top 10 areas in Stanislaus County with births to teens, by ZIP code:

West Modesto, 95351, 189 births

Turlock, 95380 113 births

Northwest Modesto, 95350, 107 births

West Side of Stanislaus County, 95358, 81 births

Ceres, 95307, 83 births

Airport Neighborhood of Modesto, 95364, 68 births

Northeast Modesto, 95355, 60 births

Oakdale, 95361 46 births

Northwest Modesto, 95356, 41 births

Riverbank, 95367 36 births

Source: California Department of Health Services

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.