The S.T.A.R.S.

S.T.A.R.S. stands for Seriously Talking About Responsible Sex. Hundreds of teens in Albany and Columbia Counties have been involved in the S.T.A.R.S. program since it creation. Each year, a new group of high school students are recruited by UHPP staff and trained to act as peer educators for the S.T.A.R.S. program. Not only do these students learn about sexual health and responsibility—they develop a wide range of new skills while having lots of fun! S.T.A.R.S. peer educators go on camping trip and college tours, attend plays and movies and participate in statewide conferences. They do interviews with the media and speak to many kinds of audiences. They also learn to work closely with other teens who come from different backgrounds and perspectives. To find out how you can become a S.T.A.R.S. peer educators, give us a call in Albany at (518) 434-5678 or in Columbia County at (518) 828-7818. You can also reach us by email in Albany or by email in Columbia County, and you can download (doc) the S.T.A.R.S. application for Albany County or download (pdf) the S.T.A.R.S. application for Columbia County. Applications are generally due sometime in May, with interviews held in the spring or early summer, but applications submitted outside of this period are kept on file in case any openings develop.

Get to know the S.T.A.R.S. program online! Click here to watch the Albany peers' video on the S.T.A.R.S. program, or here to watch the Columbia peers' most recent hilarious "Condom Myth Busters" video. You can also find the Columbia County S.T.A.R.S. on Facebook, and on MySpace!

The S.T.A.R.S. program is made possible through a grant from the New York State Department of Health-Community Based Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program (CBAPP).

FOR GIRLS ONLY!!!

Teen Choices is a middle school program that meets weekly after school and is just for girls and the issues that they face. It is an interactive, self-esteem based pregnancy prevention program that teaches about responsible decision-making and utilizes UHPP's High School S.T.A.R.S. peer educators as peer-to-peer mentors. Teen Choices girls will have the opportunity to visit local colleges, take a high school tour, attend artistic and cultural events, and more! To find out more about Teen Choices including where and when these programs will meet, contact Meaghan Carroll at (518)434-5678 ext. 160 or email her at meaghan@uhpp.org for more information.