What it Means to Listen
How One High School is Responding to Students’ Demand When it Comes to Sexual Assault
“In my opinion, this course is a must experience, for all health students. The dynamic presentation of the Be Strong, Be Wise materials is absolutely outstanding. Kids are attentive, engaged and exposed to critical information that they need to make wise choices”
-Patrick Kelly, Health Education, Camden Hills High School
Like many high schools, Camden Hills Regional High School in Camden Maine has had more than its share of sexual assaults in recent years. The number of assaults taking place among teenagers has continued to rise everywhere and many schools are trying to ascertain the right response.
Some schools have held assemblies where an expert or team of experts present(s) information to better educate students on topics like consent and bystander intervention. After the student walkouts nationwide, including a walkout at Camden Hills, the administrative team at the school took a hard look at its response protocol, education standards, and most importantly, the feedback from students.
Jen Curtis, Vice Principal, met with a group of students in an ongoing forum to hear what they had to say and what their concerns were. Volunteer teachers made themselves available to students who needed to talk, and the admin team began planning for the kind of programming that would affect long-term change.
In the end, Camden Hills elected to bring in several teams of experts to hold assemblies, including members of the local anti-domestic violence initiative, and the local sexual assault response organization.
The school is also implementing each one of the Be Strong, Be Wise programs: our youth program; our train-the-trainer program; and the Strong Leadership program, which provides ongoing support for the first year. In this way, change is guaranteed to take place at one of the most impactful levels for students: curriculum. Each year, a health class will devote a week to exploring sexual ethics and personal safety.
Whenever I run the youth program at the high school level, I’m thrilled to see students engage in discussion (whether or not they agree with each other’s opinions), on issues like peer pressure, alcohol use and how to communicate and respect personal boundaries.
After observing the course, health teacher Patrick Kelly stated, “In my opinion, this course is a must experience, for all health students. The dynamic presentation of the Be Strong, Be Wise materials is absolutely outstanding. Kids are attentive, engaged and exposed to critical information that they need to make wise choices.”
In our very first class I always let students know that they are the experts of their own life. I’m merely a guide, supporting them in finding the path that’s best for them, and their future relationships. This means asking the kinds of questions that allow teens to decipher toxic from healthy behavior. And it’s hugely gratifying to watch students focus their attention on answering prompts like, “Am I confident I would know what to say if someone were threatening a boundary?” Or, “Do I understand affirmative consent?” Or, “Do I have a code of conduct for myself when it comes to alcohol and “hooking up”?
In preparing for our train-the-trainer program that will allow health teachers and counselors to teach the course to students, Vice principal Curtis said:
“Teens need opportunities to talk about mutual respect in a relationship, consent, and personal safety in a supportive and comfortable environment. Be Strong, Be Wise adds new tools to a teenager's toolbox, from building communication skills to personal awareness, giving them confidence in navigating their relationships. By including BSBW in our health program, every student at CHRHS will have a chance to learn these critical life lessons.”
It will take more than added programming to start moving the needle on better safety for teens. It will take holding the kinds of conversations we shy away from, and asking the kinds of questions that may feel invasive, but allow youth to build an undeniable superpower: emotional intelligence.
For more info on the ways BSBW is supporting this effort, go to https://www.bestrongbewise.com.