AccordingtotheResourceCenterforAdolescentPregnancyPrevention(ReCAPP),only

59%ofsexuallyactivehighschoolstudentshadusedacondom,oranyotherformof
contractiveinthelasttimethattheyhadintercourse.Highschoolsexualeducationisessential
forpropereducationinregardstosafesex,yetmanyhighschoolsexedcurriculums
recommendabstinencewhenitcomestosexualactivity,andthoughabstinenceisthebestway
topreventthecontractionofsexuallytransmittedinfections(STIs)andteenagepregnancy,
teenagersaresimplynotabstinent.Weliveinahypersexualworld,andourteenagepopulation
isnoexception.AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControl(CDC),53%ofhighschoolage
teensaresexuallyactive.Itisclearthatsexualeducationneedstoshiftfromabstinence
advocacytoeducationabouttheuseofcontraceptives.
InaninterviewwithAnimasHighSchoolPrincipalSeanWoytek,Iaskedhimif
contraceptiveusewasencouragedthroughoutthedurationofAHSstudentssexualeducation,
towhichheanswered,Encouragedisthekeypartthere,wecontractwithathirdparty,but
theydoanallencompassingapproach.Theyadvocatethatabstinenceisthebestwayto
protectfrompregnancyandSTIs,andthentheyadvocatefortheuseofcontraceptives.
SowhatisAnimasHighSchooldoingfortheirstudentswhenitcomestogetting
contraceptives?Traditionally,highschoolshavefreecondomsanddentaldamsavailableto
theirstudents,butAHSdoesnotAccordingtoSeanWoytekas,Ithasneverbeenadvocated
for.ThoughAnimasisasmallschool,somethingshouldbedonetoprovideourstudentswith
freecontraceptives.Inresponsetothis,LibbyCowles(theAssistantPrincipal)said,My
understandingisthattheschoolbasedhealthcenteratDHSisajointeffortbetweenathird
partyandthehighschool,theypartneredwithAxisHealthSystemstoprovideaschoolbased
healthcenterthatisaccessibletoallstudentsinDurango,includingAHSstudents.Thereare
twoschoolbasedhealthcenters,oneatDHSandoneatFloridaMesaElementarySchool,Axis
HealthSystemshasalwaysencouragedAHSstudentstogotothehealthcenters.
Inessence,freecontraceptivesareavailabletoAHSstudents,buttheyarenotprovided
bytheschool.Manystudentsdonotknowwheretheycangotofindfreecontraceptives,and
becauseofthecostofcondoms,manystudentsfinditeasiertosimplynotusecontraceptivesat
all.AllAHSstudentsareencouragedtogototheDHShealthcentertofindfreecontraceptives,
birthcontrols,STDtests,consultationswithprovidersetcfreeofchargeandallservicesare
completelyconfidential..
Overthelast20years,teenpregnancyrateshavedeclinedcontinuouslybecauseof
increasinglyprevalentuseofcontraception.Almost25%ofsenioragehighschoolgirlsareon
birthcontrol.Coloradohasdoneparticularlywellwhenitcomestoteenagepregnancy,wehave
the31stlowestteenagepregnancyratesinthecountryaccordingtotheOfficeofAdolescent
Health.
Inordertomaintainourteenpopulationshealth,andthehealthofthehighschool
communityingeneral,allAHSstudentsareencouragedtogototheDHShealthcenter,andto
talktotheiradvisors,ortrustedteachersaboutsafesex.