As fall approaches, high school students everywhere are headed back to classes—but in Albany and Columbia Counties, some students will also be teachers. At the start of every school year the Seriously Talking About Responsible Sex (S.T.A.R.S.) peer education programs at UHPP welcome a new group of student educators recruited from local schools.
UHPP health educators provide these students with training on how to lead productive discussions around tricky but essential sexual health topics, and that's just where their experiences begin. The S.T.A.R.S. educators go on team-building trips and to conferences, and learn to handle media interviews and speak with community members at outreach events. Most of all, they learn to become reliable and approachable sources of factual information on sexual health issues for friends and classmates in their communities.
As a new crew of students joins a handful of veteran S.T.A.R.S. educators, we're taking the opportunity to introduce the new peers, and get to know those returning—and the S.T.A.R.S. program—a little better. Our first comments come from this year's Albany County peer educators, who all attend Albany High School.
Fresh Faces, First Impressions
What made you want to become a sex educator in the S.T.A.R.S. program?
“My 'Anatomy & Physiology' class, and going to the AIDS Quilt... and because I wanted to beat all my friends with their fast food jobs." Celeste, 9th grader at Harriet Tubman Free School
What about being a S.T.A.R.S. peer educator are you most looking forward to?
“Learning new things and teaching people what I learn.” Zaraya, 10th grade
“I like giving information.” Celeste
The Voices of Experience
What is your favorite moment from your time as a peer educator?
“The AIDS memorial quilt. We hung out in the room with the quilt after presenting at World AIDS Day. It kind of blew my mind that people--actual people not just numbers, but with personalities, interests, and families--died of AIDS. In school, all we hear are statistics, not that they’re actually are people dying. You assume it's not real.” Tiffani, 11th grade
“Silver Bay Retreat- I got to see the non-work side of everyone. And World AIDS Day, because it's fun and I met a lot of people." Krishona, 10th grade
“World AIDS Day- the training and the quilt, also listening about the history of the quilt." Brihan, 11th grade
What are you most looking forward to in your next year as a peer educator?
“The new peers that come and are fun, great stuff we’re going to do, especially teaching the new peers things.” Krishona
“The same thing (World AIDS Day). Presenting in schools more." Tiffani
What would you want next year's peer educators to know about the program?
“It’s fun and games, but not all the time. Its pretty fun for something so serious." Tiffani
“The job may sound fun but its actually hard work. Its more than just sex and condoms.” Krishona
Check back at the end of September to meet some of ourColumbia County peers! If you can't wait until then, get to know the S.T.A.R.S. program better 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).
