In a couple months time a group of mine is to present to a class of high school students (freshman or sophomore) about barrier methods to STI's.
I have a lot of time to ponder over this yet it was wondering what you guys think is an interesting and interactive way to convey the information?! We will have a PowerPoint but we do not want to focus on reading from it but rather giving the class a fun and interactive presentation!
It may be difficult to get this age group to participate and ask questions :/
Maybe hand out index cards as they come in stating they can ask any thing (related to your presentation)anonymously. Collect them ballot style in a lidded box. Have one classmate (of yours not the HS) and an instructor read through them and try to answer as many as possible that are on topic to your presentation.
I think this is an excellent idea. Kids (young adults) have lots of questions, but I'll be you'd be hard-pressed to get them to ask those questions in a room full of their peers. And I don't know about any of you, but when I was in high school I acted like I knew way more about sex than I did LOL, so something like this would be invaluable to many kids. And for the love of all that is holy, please dispel the idea that some guys are "too big" for condoms I swear I still hear that idea expressed. I have a great picture I found online (when we did STI prevention presentations) of someone with a regular sized condom on their foot like a sock. You may be big but I doubt you're a size 10 shoe big LOL Good luck with your presentation!!!
Well, that's kind of what I was wondering. Is this just about STI's or STI's and birth control? Those are two completely different things and when you are talking to teenagers you have to be very specific. Or they will think birth control will keep them from HIV. So there needs to first off be an understanding about what you are presenting and you have to be specific in letting them know what the difference is between STI protection and birth control protection. I know it's all the same in a teenage mind!! I would also be blunt and to the point. Kids don't want a lot of fluff. Try to remember when you were in high school. I remember we always had to watch these movies like from the 50's when they were trying to get a point across to us. We could not relate at all. So I think You Tube might be appropriate. I can remember drinking and driving was huge in the late 80's but yet we were watching movies of people like from the 50's and 60's and as a teenager back then I thought it was so dumb and I never paid attention. So just keep those things in mind. I would also keep it very laid back and informal.
Maybe hand out index cards as they come in stating they can ask any thing (related to your presentation)anonymously. Collect them ballot style in a lidded box. Have one classmate (of yours not the HS) and an instructor read through them and try to answer as many as possible that are on topic to your presentation.
That's a great idea! We will utilize that method, thank you for sharing!
To the last line, as a pediatric nurse who goes on to care for the children these misinformed teens go on to have (and rush them to the OR and into surgery without parental consent because 16 yr old Mom decided it was more important to go shopping or something than to stay with her dying daughter), I couldn't agree more. Teens are having sex. They need to be taught about and have access to all appropriate methods of contraception.
I agree! The issue is mainly associated with consent issues. Certain parents want to safeguard their child from this thinking that it will promote their sexual activity. It's quite the opposite. It's important particularly because statistic show teens are having sex.
Well, that's kind of what I was wondering. Is this just about STI's or STI's and birth control? Those are two completely different things and when you are talking to teenagers you have to be very specific. Or they will think birth control will keep them from HIV. So there needs to first off be an understanding about what you are presenting and you have to be specific in letting them know what the difference is between STI protection and birth control protection. I know it's all the same in a teenage mind!! I would also be blunt and to the point. Kids don't want a lot of fluff. Try to remember when you were in high school. I remember we always had to watch these movies like from the 50's when they were trying to get a point across to us. We could not relate at all. So I think You Tube might be appropriate. I can remember drinking and driving was huge in the late 80's but yet we were watching movies of people like from the 50's and 60's and as a teenager back then I thought it was so dumb and I never paid attention. So just keep those things in mind. I would also keep it very laid back and informal.
To clarify! I have addressed this in a vague matter yet we are covering the entire umbrella of STI and their prevention. This will include promotion of abstinence, safe practices, along with barriers to pregnancy (which some, but not all, also are barriers to STI).
I swear I still hear that idea expressed. I have a great picture I found online (when we did STI prevention presentations) of someone with a regular sized condom on their foot like a sock. You may be big but I doubt you're a size 10 shoe big 
LOL Good luck with your presentation!!!
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
If this is about STI....the barrier methods or abstinence are the only barrier for STI