By Ashley Acosta
Cardinal Staff
Dec. 1 marked the 20th annual World AIDS Day, and Health Services spent the week raising awareness.
Each year, people around the world come together to help raise awareness of the AIDS virus for one day. Health Services and the Health Advocates brought that message to campus.
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With World AIDS day falling on the last day of Thanksgiving break, Health Services decided to extend the event into an awareness week.
Dubbed AIDS and HIV/STI Awareness Week, the four-day event began on Dec. 2. Each day focused on a different yet connectable theme, such as abstinence, abuse and relationships.
Health Services used a passive tactic to spread awareness by putting up posters and banners. The week’s events were designed to not only help raise awareness of diseases but also of choices.
Student Health Director Angel Weisbrod said, “The idea is to raise awareness that when students choose to be sexually active, they also choose to put themselves at risk for HIV and STIs.”
Weisbrod also hoped to use the week’s events as a foundation for a more in-depth project for second semester- Sweetheart Days.
“Sweetheart Days is meant to show students how relationships work and the effects of relationships, whether they be sexual or not,” she said, adding that more aggressive methods such as guest speakers will be used.
One tactic that Weisbrod and the Health Advocates are excited about is the use of focus groups. Student leaders will be selected by the health staff and include members of hall staff along with Health Advocates. The rest of the participating students will be chosen at random.
The groups will be asked to discuss issues concerning relationships, the effect alcohol has on rational judgment and behaviors as well as sexual activity.
“These issues are things people are either comfortable talking about or they aren’t,” Hilary Framke, a junior Health Advocate, said. “I am glad we are doing this because this is our life and our choices, and this allows us to come together to hear from those who are our age about what concerns them.”
Weisbrod hopes that these two events will help students take notice of their decisions as well as the risks.
“Everyone knows the risks, but even the students who do know think it can never happen to them. We want to let them know that it can happen to them, and if it does there are places and people they can turn to for help. They are not alone,” Framke adds.
Sweetheart Days is slotted for January, and focus groups are set to begin Jan. 4. If any students are interested in sharing their opinions, they are asked to contact Weisbrod.
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