 |
IN FOCUS: ARTICLE |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Bay Area Teens Get Schooled in Sexual Health
Flannery Hill, 05.10.05
The workshop allowed her to embrace her individuality, and in an all-girl environment she was able to "say what I want." |
|
Teens in Alameda County, CA, are at greater risk for health problems than their peers in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the Alameda County Department of Public Health, they face complex issues like drug abuse, domestic violence, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancy at a younger age than teens in nearby counties.
Alameda County, just east of San Francisco, has the fourth highest rate of AIDS in the state, and the county's birth rate for 15-to-19-year-old adolescents was the highest in the Bay Area in 2001. More than three-quarters of chlamydia cases in the county are among women, and those between the ages of 15 and 24 are at highest risk.
It's stats like these that led students and health care providers to act. Nicole Marcotte, a high school senior from Castro Valley, CA, believes young women today need comprehensive sexuality information and a safe place to discuss sensitive issues in order to make healthy choices. That's why she helped plan Alameda County's Fourth Annual Young Women's Health Conference, hosted by Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (PPGG) and Girls Incorporated. This year's conference, "A Passport to Health," took place on April 7.
Nicole's Story
Three years ago, Nicole Marcotte was a high school freshman trying to find her way at a new school. She never guessed that she would be a planner and participant in a major health conference her senior year.
Marcotte got involved in Girls Incorporated after hearing about the group from a friend. Now she says it's "one of the best things to happen" in her high school experience. Having grown up in a home where sex was an uncomfortable topic of discussion, Marcotte saw the impact she could have as a peer educator and a mentor to other girls.
Her participation in the three-year HEART (Helping Everyone Achieve Respect Together) program at Girls Incorporated taught Marcotte how to start discussions about body image, sex, and healthy decisions with her parents and peers. And the Young Women's Health Conference gave her the opportunity to share what she had learned with others like her.
Success Through Self-Esteem
More than 100 young women from schools in Alameda County attended the conference, which opened with a greeting from representatives of PPGG and Girls Incorporated. Marcotte and other participants in the HEART program planned a variety of workshops. Topics included leadership development, self-defense, body image, and reproductive health.
Marcotte and her peers in the HEART program led the workshop "My Body, My Life, My Choices" twice during the day. The fact that body image is a major issue for today's youth was emphasized by the popularity of the workshop. The facilitators began by asking the audience to define body image, and participants created laundry lists of ways to bolster self-esteem. Posters with slogans like "Love Your Body!" and "Women Rock!" covered the walls.
First-time participant Amanda Stevens, 14, from Albany High School, wanted to find ways to deal with high school pressures. "My Body, My Life, My Choices" was her favorite workshop. "The presenters were great because they're young and are going through the same things," said Stevens. "It helped me feel better about myself."
For Gabriela Guerrero, 16, from Berkeley High School, the highlight was the icebreaker game, in which girls split up into groups of five and told each other five things that they loved about themselves. Gabriela said she was proud of her Peruvian heritage. The workshop allowed her to embrace her individuality, and in an all-girl environment she was able to "say what I want." She also found that "health topics covered in the conference aren't taught in school."
The conference closed with two girls from the poetry group, Youth Speaks, who used poetry to show how they were objectified by men at a young age. The positive response showed that many girls in the audience could relate to the experience portrayed in these powerful performances.
Looking Forward
Conquering low self-esteem takes time, but for many young women, this year's conference was an important first step. Encouraged by the success of the conference, Marcotte wants to see more and larger conferences in the years to come. As for her own future, she plans to attend college next year to study theology and political science. |
|
|
|
Printable Version
Email this page