HIV/AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM

1. Summary of Accomplishments 1990-1997
2. Accomplishments of the BCC HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program
3. Additional activities or projects completed by PEC's
4. Statewide/Southern States
5. In Community
6. Recognition/Evaluation

Broward Community College has conducted an exemplary HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program for the past 7 years and has impacted over 15,000 students college-wide each year for the past four school years. The program began in the fa11, 1990 as a pilot on the North Campus under the guidance of Dr. Janet E. Parke. Because of its success, the program was expanded to all three campuses in the fall, 1991. At the heart of this program is a corps of student volunteers HIV/AIDS Peer Educator/ Counselors. They are trained and certified by Dr. Parke as American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Instructors (two training sessions are conducted each year). They also receive information on human sexuality, peer counseling, and presentation skills. They also attend HRS AIDS update sessions during the school year. In addition, a select group is trained annually as HIV Counselors by HRS.

Each campus has an HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Office staffed by Peer Educator/Counselors (PEGS).It serves as a resource center on HIV/AIDS. Each PEC spends a minimum of an hour a week in the HIV/AIDS Prevention Education office on his/her campus. During that time they are available to help students who have questions or need information on HIV/AIDS in person or on the campus AIDS Hotline phone. They also increase their knowledge by reading newspaper articles, information updates, and watching videos.

Throughout the school year the PEC's conduct interactive informational "Rap Sessions" on HIV/AIDS. Instructors throughout the disciplines (wellness, first aid, health, sociology, psychology, religion, science, English, and speech) invite them to present in their college classes. Over 300 have been conducted each year for the past four years reaching 9,000 students annually. Persons living with HIV/AIDS accompany them to most sessions and share their story at the end. Other educational awareness activities are conducted throughout the school year, but many are focused during November (AIDS Awareness Month) and February (Condom Month).

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The following list represents accomplishments of the BCC HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program. Campus activities that have taken place annually for the last four years:

1. eight days on HIV/AIDS & STD information in the auditoriums and libraries at two Campuses conducting 3-4 sessions each day. These have ranged from panels featuring PWA's, caretakers, counselors and doctors, HRS updates, and Center One presentations (2600 students reached annually).

2. AIDS video's, displays, and condom man passing out condoms in the cafeteria.

3. Sexual Jeopardy competition between clubs.

4. Red ribbons displayed on trees/posts throughout North and South campus and passed out in class to be worn by students on December 1st.

5. AIDS related posters throughout the campuses in most classrooms to increase AIDS Awareness (these are changed on a regular basis).

6. Free HIV antibody testing on a113 campuses twice during the year (300-400 students &faculty tested annually).

7. Condom roses and condom valentines sold prior to and on Valentines Day (Typically 100+ roses and 250+ valentines are sold annually).

8. Condom carnivals or condom Olympics are held in February featuring free food, music, water filled condom toss, condom on the cucumber relay, pin the condom/dental dam on a male or female poster, condom dart board, and other games (over 500 students participate annually).

9. A monthly 'AIDS Outlook Column" is written for the student newspaper.

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Since 1990, the PEC's have completed the following activities or projects in addition to those listed previously:

On Campus

1. Wrote and produced 8 AIDS Public Service Announcements on video that were aired for two school years college-wide before or after classroom videos.
2. Wrote and performed a one-act play on HIV/AIDS. 3. Wrote and performed 2 formal skits and 4 informal skits.
4. Conducted 2 AIDS poster contests.
5. Conducted` 2 safer sex rap song contests.
6. Provided AIDS information sessions for student clubs.
7. Distributed to all departments college wide, an HIV/AIDS Curriculum Guide compiled by Dr. Parke which provides suggestions for infusing AIDS awareness activities throughout all disciplines.
8. Wrote two Seahawk Health-watch Newsletters featuring information on HIV/AIDS and distributed throughout the college.
9. Provided framed portraits of two deceased BCC PWA speakers to all campuses and conducted a dedication ceremony on World AIDS Day 1995.
10. Sold condomgrams for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.
11. Conducted special HIV/AIDS "Rap Sessions" athletes at their annual retreat for three years.
12. Set up an AIDS Information table in the cafeteria and student club events regularly.
13. Planned and conducted special HIV/AIDS outreach to African American, Hispanic and International Students.

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Statewide/Southern States

1. Conducted HIV/AIDS "Rap Sessions" for four years at the statewide student government convention for Florida community colleges.
2. Conducted sessions during two HECAP workshops for students from various community colleges and colleges throughout the state who planned to start a peer educator/counselor group for HIV/AIDS Prevention Education. (BCC won the HECAP Best Practices Award for the top HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program in Florida.)
3. Presented a program on HIV/AIDS Prevention Education at the state convention of the Florida Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance and sessions at three conventions of the Southern District American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.
4. Presented 2 HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Workshops at the Southern States student government conference.

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In Community

1. Conducted four day AIDS awareness blitz in 1992 call "Safer Spring Break" at Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Safer Spring Break Kits were passed out, condom games were conducted, an AIDS information tent was set up, condoms were distributed to the bars, and other activities.
2. Conducted HIV/AIDS Rap sessions at several private schools for two years.
3. Held an AIDS graffiti contest for youth in the community at North campus. The winner painted the graffiti on an outdoor campus wall (75 entered).
5. Assisted, for five years, with the World AIDS Day Walk/Run for Life (the largest fundraising and AIDS awareness event in Broward County)-answered information phone lines pre event 20 hours a week for a month and 10-20 PECS helped for 3 hours during the event.
6. Conducted at least one fundraiser on each campus each year for various community AIDS agencies or foundations. (Raised in excess of $6,000)
7. Provided an educational session for Mothers & Teens at a local high school.
8. Provided an HIV Educational Session for teens at a Coffee House.
9. Conducted workshops for teens on Sexual Behavior and AIDS at Parks and Recreation after school programs (more are planned).
10.Provided an AIDS 101 Educational sessions for 20 Americorps workers assigned to poor minority neighborhoods in order for them to provide accurate information in their assigned areas.
11. Provided an educational session for Mothers and Teens at African American worship centers.
12. Taught numerous American Red Cross AIDS 101 and 104 courses for the community.
13. Conducted an HIV/AIDS information session for a minority Girl Scout troop.

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The BCC HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program has received national recognition. We have been asked to provide presentations to educate and explain our program at National, Southern District, State and Local levels. Our program received a Professional Recognition Award from the Florida Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, the Best Practices Award from the Higher Education Consortium for AIDS Prevention Education in Florida, Runner-up for Best Student Activities Program, by the Florida Association of Community Colleges, Special Recognition Award from the Broward Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Special Service Award by Broward Community College Student Life. The American Association of Community Colleges selected Janet Parke as a Mentor in its Bridges for Healthy Communities project to promote AIDS Education. Recently NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) selected the program as one of eight top HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Programs in the United States. (The only community college selected)

Throughout the seven years of The Broward Community College HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Program, evaluations by students who attended HIV/AIDS Prevention Education "Rap Sessions," have overwhelmingly indicated that the programs were meaningful to them and that they are protecting themselves from HIV and STD's as a result.

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