Draw The Line, Respect The Line

Draw the Line, Respect the Line Graduates!

In the past two months, we have reached 130 youth with our evidence based middle school curriculum.  Draw the Line is a program designed to help youth set healthy limits and learn the skills to keep those limits and respect other's limits.  There are three separate, age appropriate modules that build on each other so students learn the steps to drawing their lines, what limits they want to set for themselves, how to communicate those to friends and partners and what the consequences are of STI's, HIV and unintended pregnancies. 

Two things stood out for us as we ended these classes:

1.  We have very wise and caring middle school students in our valley who are dealing with some tough pressures.

2.  These youth are DESPERATE for knowledge about their bodies, their health and how to manage pressure from peers and within dating relationships. 

At the end of each day, we provided the opportunity for the students to write anonymous questions.  At the beginning of the next class, the facilitators answered or responded to these questions with values neutral responses and staying with messages that addressed health and safety.  What was interesting is that there are a lot of students wanting to know what is right or wrong when it comes to their sexual health.  We continued to direct them to their parents.  For example, a facilitator can tell the students if a virus or infection can be transmitted or if pregnancy can occur but a teen's parent needs to provide the value of right or wrong, good or bad. 

Did you know 7 in 10 teens agree it would be much easier for them to postpone sexual activity and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents? 

However, we polled the students during 4 Draw the Line classes and discovered that by day 4 only 40% had talked with their parents or adults about what they were learning in the class.  

Garfield County PREP believes in parents and schools working together to raise healthy, prepared youth.  When a student gets a solid foundation of values at home with open conversations and an opportunity at school to learn the latest medical information and practice negotiation skills, they are prepared to make clear limits, communicate them effectively and keep their health a priority over peer pressure. 

If you are interested in getting involved with the PREP project, please contact Gretchen O'Byrne at garfieldcoutnyprep@gmail.com or 970-319-2182.