Teen Talk - An Audio ProgramThere is an old expression that "growing up is hard to do." The "Teen Talk" audio program is created to provide information to young people to help them make informed, intentional decisions about their social, emotional and sexual lives.
Learn more... Peers Promoting Action and Awareness (PPAA) was founded by students in February of 1992. Today, it is one of the largest extracurricular clubs at the Nantucket High School (NHS). Serving as peer leaders, the group is dedicated to educating their peers, as well as the community, about HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, healthy decision making, and drug and alcohol use and abuse. PPAA students also help teach these same themes in the middle school health classes. Members attend training sessions and workshops and meet regularly, during lunch, to discuss on-going ideas and issues regarding school and island life. PPAA is sponsored and supported by the Nantucket AIDS Network (NAN).
Formal Training
PPAA Training workshops are offered to the entire student body with the objective of how to become an effective peer educator. The training focuses on peer leadership and the reality of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, and substance use and abuse of young people. The program consists of guest speakers from the community (the Nantucket Police Department, Nantucket AIDS Network, and Family Planning), group activities and role playing, and an extensive amount of public speaking exercises.
Teen Talk
The Teen Talk audio program was authored and edited by Lori Wiener, Ph.D. and published by S.P. Hersh, M.D. and the Medical Illness Counseling Center.
As an adolescent or young adult you are confronted with more opportunities, choices and free time. You make your own decisions and choices regarding what you do, where you go, who you spend time with and when you become sexually active. At times you may feel overwhelmed by different pressures and want guidance.
TEEN TALK will provide you with useful information focused on the concerns that all teens have in addition to those of you diagnosed with HIV.
NHS Outreach
PPAA members distribute free condoms each week and maintain an information center of posted articles, brochures, and a list of their on-going activities.
Worlds AIDS Day
Each year, PPAA hosts a school-wide assembly, which is also open to the community at large. This past year, PPAA invited HIV/AIDS educator, Ole Pete Key, to Nantucket High School to perform his educational and entertaining rap songs that teach prevention and healthy living.
Ryan White National Youth Conference
Selected members of PPAA attend this annual conference (
http://www.ryanwhite.com) to learn about HIV prevention, treatment, advocacy and successful support services. The youth share their challenges and accomplishments and establish a national network of peers. This year, four students and their advisor traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
projectDiscovery Camp
The 2005 pilot program was met with such success that we will run the camp will again bring together 5th and 6th graders from the St. Ignatius School in the South Bronx with the Nantucket youth; as well as be expanded to include students from New Orleans that have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
The primary focus of the camp is to educate our youth on the power of their own potential through relationship development tools and healthy living skills. The integrated camp program will include activities such as: outward bound exercises, team/trust building projects, theatre activities, sailing, kayaking, biking, yoga and martial arts.
In collaboration with other island non-profits and small businesses -- and with thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the community and our “Fund the Future” campaign, we offer this camp to you at NO COST.
