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Improving sexual education knowledge in high school students by restructuring the health class they are already required to take to graduate high school is my advocacy issue. I live in a small town in Ohio, and while the state overall has improved its pregnancy statistics, certain rural areas are still struggling.
"Approximately half of all new cases of STIs [sexual transmitted infections] occur in adolescents or young adults and US females 15 to 19 years old account for 750,000 pregnancies each year" (Guttmacher, 2013). Providing the resources and tools to help students through education rather than condemnation will benefit them all in the long run.
In 2013, the Ohio Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that four out of 10 high school students have had sex (Lowe, S., 2013). Educating students, particularly ninth grade or younger, would be beneficial to ensure it reaches a larger percentage of students who have not had sex and promote a stronger understanding of sex.

Guttmacher Institute. (2013, June). Facts on American Teens Sexual and Reproductive Health. Retrieved from: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-ATSRH.html
Lowe, S. (n.d.). 2013 Ohio Youth Risk Behavior Survey Sexual Behaviors. https://innovateohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/7e0feaa2-5394-4b51-ba3d-1ab66aeab50f/Sexual+Behavior.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-7e0feaa2-5394-4b51-ba3d-1ab66aeab50f-mr08vXV.

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Educating high school students on the importance of sexual education, sexual and relationship abuse, pregnancy, and other topics.

I live in Ohio where there is a required focus on abstinence and abuse, but no other major guidelines in regards to the quality and content of education in public schools (powertodecide.org). This leads to many schools having a wide range of expectations and outcomes for their health course, with some diving deep into the issues and others barely mentioning topics that should be openly discussed.

Providing information on healthy relationships, focusing on LGBT+ topics and resources that are available to students if they ever need help outside of school would be what I consider crucial to the curriculum in its current state. Educating students on consent, where to go for questions or concerns, and understanding healthy versus abusive relationships of all forms provides a foundation that students can carry with them into adulthood.

Surveys completed before and after the course would help to determine the effectiveness of the initiative. Long term, I would like to implement this model into multiple schools and eventually lead a statewide effort through a network of counselors to see the changes in teen pregnancy and STI data.

Ohio Data: Power to Decide. Ohio Data | Power to Decide. (n.d.). https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/information/national-state-data/ohio.

Ohio State Profile. SIECUS. (2021, April 2). https://siecus.org/state_profile/ohio-fy21-state-profile/.

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Mindset: M2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

B-SMS 9. Personal safety skills

B-SS 9. Social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and
environment

B- SS 3. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

American School Counselor Association. (2019a). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

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By the end of their freshman year, high school students will improve their knowledge of sexual education, relationship abuse, and health resources by 20% through a concentrated health course. Results will be measured through pre and post surveys to record retention of the information. Gathering the baseline knowledge from the initial survey will guide the health course they are already required to take in high school. By gathering information anonymously, it allows students to be more honest about their sexual experiences and allow for more open conversation in the classroom about the topics of the class. Asking questions related to how many sexual partners they have had, if they are using protection, how frequently they use protection, and to list resources/programs available will assist me in determining a course of action within the classroom. This initiative will be a collaboration between myself and the health/physical education teacher, the school board and the parents/guardians of the students. My role will involve a focus on statistics, relaying information between those various stakeholders, and ensuring students understand that they may reach out to me privately if they ever need to discuss something privately. I want to create a space that shows the reality of sexual decisions so that students understand the risks involved, but from a sex positive perspective. Providing the information to students where they can investigate themselves will solidify the importance of the topic and hopefully reduce the rate of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the area.

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Parents/Guardians- ensuring they understand their involvement and what information is being shared so that their children can be safe and confident in their sex decisions. Parents can also open up the discussion at home to be a resource for their children as well.

Educators- the ones teaching the class should be equal in their methods, such as providing the same speakers and the same non-judgmental atmosphere to teach this subject so those students with questions can gain knowledge and feel safe in their discussions.

Board Members- approval from the school board or committees would benefit because they would make a positive change for students in the community.

Community/ State leaders- understanding the importance of this topic is crucial for improving the statistics within the state and eventually the country. The more we educate, the better results we will have in regards to sexual diseases, pregnancy, and abortion rates.

Students- encouraging students to be open and mature in this discussion could potentially lead to other important topics that they can meet with their counselor about or build on within the classroom.