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
Sample Adult Content:
- Intro to SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression)
- Gender Roles & Stereotypes Through the Lifespan
- LGBTQ+ History, Laws, and Legislation
- Say What? How to Have Gender Inclusive & Affirming Conversations with Youth
- The 4 Pillars of an Affirming Environment: An Exploration of LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
- Being Real: An Exploration of Identities and Intersectionality
- Advanced SOGIE & Coming Out Conversations
- Queer Sex Ed & Gender Affirming Gear
Click HERE to download a Printable ABC’s PDF
For more information, email info@hitops.org