privacy policy |
legal statement
Educational Programs
> Programs for Youth
Street Smarts: Staying Safe and Healthy
HiTOPS Educator
Designed for: Females, grades 9-12
“It’s the best of times and the worst of times…”
High school brings exciting independence and risky challenges
National programs boast that the incidence of teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, and smoking by teens has decreased in recent years. Yet, the United States has the highest teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rate of any industrialized country. In a recent survey of New Jersey youth, nearly 1 in 3 high school students report they were offered drugs at school and 1 in 4 high school students report binge drinking behavior (5 or more drinks on the same occasion.) Ten per cent of NJ teens drove drunk and 28% rode with an intoxicated driver in the last 30 days.
In this workshop, young women describe the advantages and disadvantages of being 15 (16, 17, or 18.) They are asked to brainstorm and then discuss what is exciting and then risky about the internet, driving, socializing, and relationships. Using the general constructs of Being safe , Being respectful, and Being true to your values the girls will learn techniques for negotiating privileges and discuss what they can do to address the risks they face, while still enjoying this exciting time of their lives.
Our goals are to help young women:
• Appreciate the advantages and opportunities of being in high school
• Identify risks associated with the internet, driving, socializing and relationships
• Learn how to respectfully negotiate privileges with parents and guardians
• Name specific risk-reduction strategies for common situations
Average length of program: 90 minutes
Recommended number of participants: 10 - 30
