ABCs – Affirming our Youth, Building a Foundation, Communities Working Together
ABCs is HiTOPS’ signature sexual health education program. Through the systemic approach of the ABCs, we offer comprehensive sex education classes for grades 2-12 and trainings for educators, administrators, and parents and guardians.
The heart of ABCs is providing education, resources, and support for young people and their community of adult stakeholders – parents/guardians, teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, administrators – in a school or other youth-serving system.
How Does the ABCs Program Make an Impact?
ABCs is grounded in research and includes the essential elements that result in positive physical, emotional, and social health outcomes for youth. ABCs is:
Collaborative: partnering with district leadership to build support for the program.
Systemic: working with ALL stakeholders in a system – students, teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, administrators, and parents/guardians.
Multi-Year: ABCs is designed to work intensively with a school district over 3-4 years, creating a strong foundation upon which the school district can build its internal capacity.
Multi-Faceted: ABCs includes policy development and implementation strategies, education for students, professional development and coaching for school staff, and information and resources for parents/guardians.
Consistent: ABCs collaborates with administrators throughout the multi-year program; engages with students and school staff three times/each year; and meets with parents/guardians in two town hall meetings annually.
Using Best Practices in Sex Education: ABCs employs developmentally appropriate and medically accurate information, positive messaging , and affirming language, content continuously spiraled throughout the curriculum and constructs taught each year that are built on the learning of the previous successive year.
Sample Student Content:
- Intro to SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression)
- SOGIE Reflections: Gender Roles & Stereotypes
- LGBTQ+ History
- Intersectionality
- All-Gender Puberty
- Anatomy & Reproduction
- Boundaries & Consent
- Healthy Relationships
- Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention
- Safer Sex: STI & Pregnancy Prevention
- Being an Ally
Sample Adult Content:
- Intro to SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression)
- Gender Roles and Stereotypes through the Lifespan
- “Say What?” How to Have Gender Inclusive and Affirming Conversations with Youth
- The 4 Pillars of an Affirming School Environment
- LGBTQ+ History and Legislation
- “Being Real” An Exploration of Identities and Intersectionality
- A Deep Dive into the Lives of Trans and Non-Binary Youth
- Advanced SOGIE Terminology and “Coming Out” Conversations
- Appreciating Body Diversity
- Sex Positivity
- Supporting Transgender Youth in Schools
- Queer Sex Education and Gender Affirming Tools and Strategies
Click HERE to download a Printable ABCs PDF
Click HERE to download a printable PDF of our workshop descriptions
For more information, email tfoley@hitops.org