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Dec. 16, 2004 |
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A student support group is trying to provide more information about HIV/AIDS to students through school events and projects.
It is important for people to be aware that AIDS is still a dilemma, school health liaison Luis Mashek said. It is a problem when this disease is still permeating our community.
Peer Resource unveiled a Lowell Quilt of Remembrance on the school-wide AIDS Awareness Day, two weeks after the World AIDS Day. The quilt is dedicated to people who have died from AIDS.
Peer Resource and Youth Outreach Workers made the quilt from construction paper as an HIV/AIDS remembrance emblem, according to peer resource teacher Keri Hinterthuer. We hope to make this a tradition at Lowell, she added.
Peer Resource asked students to submit patches anonymously and dedicate them to people who have died from the disease. When Youth Outreach Workers set out to find people to make patches for the quilt, however, the response was minimal. They hope to have more student participation next year. AIDS is a really serious problem, junior youth outreach worker Johan Yeoh.
The Wellness Center collaborated with Mashek and other Peer Resource participants in organizing this event in order to increase adolescents awareness of health issues. We want to increase awareness of AIDS/HIV not only within San Francisco, but worldwide, wellness coordinator Alicia Rozum said.
The Wellness Center and New Generation, a nonprofit organization that gives health care to teens, also provided free sexually transmitted disease testing to students throughout the day and distributed free condoms.
Students said they appreciated the event and would welcome more functions like it. Im glad they are trying to get the word out there about AIDS, junior Alina Goldenberg said. Distributing condoms is definitely useful and is a hands-on way to educate students. |
