Freeport High School marked the 20th anniversary of Aids Awareness Day at the school with special assemblies and classroom visits by guest speakers who delivered informative messages pertaining to challenges teens can face including risks of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, homophobia and dating violence.
The auditorium seated 70 classes for two performances by "Stories of Substance," a group that uses drama, humor and music to raise awareness and educate students on how to cope with mixed messages and troubling situations. Each skit was punctuated with the words "think about it."
Speakers from various agencies, such as Long Island Association for AIDS Care, Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth, The Long Island Minority AIDS Coalition, Freeport Pride, Long Island Teen Freedom, Pride for Youth, Planned Parenthood, Five-Towns Community Center, Leadership Training Institute and Nassau University Medical Center, rotated through classrooms reinforcing important, supportive messages and providing methods of coping with problems.
An information table was set up in the school lobby to distribute brochures. "Our goal as educators is to ensure that the decisions you make will be good ones and will lead to lifelong safety and happiness," said John W. Dodd Middle School lead social worker Felice Niland. Niland started the AIDS Awareness group in Freeport Schools 20 years ago.
