<< Listen up about HIV and AIDS

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“I feel like I’m not well-informed about AIDS. I’d like to know more about it: how it’s [transmitted] and how it affects family members. I think the schools are scared to tell us.”
LaChané Hodnett, 16, Harbor Teacher Preparatory Academy (Wilmington)

"There’s more of an effort being made for people to be aware about it. Through school I’ve seen six presentations. It’s everywhere you go—at concerts and festivals. There are people and organizations that talk about it and hand out stuff, so kids know it’s there."
Helen Hwang, 17, Thoreau HS (Woodland Hills)

"I know a lot about it. PEP/LA, it’s a group that came to school and educated us on how it’s contracted, how to prevent it, the treatment. It was better to have some teenager here (to talk about HIV) because it was someone they could relate to rather than an authority figure."
Nick Perle, 18, Thoreau HS

“I think I’m well in the know because I’ve had a lot of classes and for some reason me and my friends we’ve talked about this stuff a lot.”
Geminesse Barraquias, 16, Harbor Teacher Preparatory Academy

"I know the basic stuff—wear a condom, don’t share needles. School just taught the basics. I want to know more about how you can get it and how you deal with it."
Carol Alvarnga, 18 Thoreau HS

“I am pretty knowledgeable. Since seventh grade because of the middle school environment I had and how fearful they were. They pushed it on us: Don’t do drugs, don’t have sex, so you don’t regret it for the rest of your life.”
Toluwalogo Darawola, 17, Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy

“I’m not very knowledgeable because they didn’t offer any sex ed classes in middle school and they don’t offer any now. I have a lack of knowledge.”
Chantelle Crawford, 16, Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy