UCSD San Diego BRIGHT Families Project Helping San Diego Youth Build a Brighter Future
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Research is increasingly demonstrating that comprehensive sex education is a valuable and necessary aspect of the education of America's youth.  The pregnancy rate among US teenagers has declined steadily, due in small part to delayed onset of sexual intercourse, and due in large part to the increased use of effective contraceptive methods(click for link).  Despite this decline, the US has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the developed world (click for link), a situation BRIGHT Families is trying to remedy through the provision of comprehensive sex education to San Diego County youth. Why is it important to teach comprehensive sex education? Consider that by the age of 18, 60% of girls and 70% of boys have had sexual intercourse (click for link), leading to 9 million new Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) each year (click for link).  A sexually active teenager who does not use contraception has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within a year (click for link).  If students are not taught about safer sexual practices, there are not necessarily less likely to become sexually active.  Without comprehensive sex education, teenagers won't be armed with all the knowledge necessary to make safer choices. Why is it more important now than ever before to teach comprehensive sex education in schools? Studies have shown that sex education teachers are more likely to focus on abstinence and less likely to provide students with information on birth control, how to access contraceptive services and sexual orientation than they were 15 years ago.  This increased focus on abstinence is misplaced, as it has been demonstrated through research that abstinence-only programs have few short-term benefits and no lasting, positive impact on youth(click for link).       No abstinence-only program has been able to demonstrate a positive impact on sexual behavior over time Are parents and teachers supportive of comprehensive sex education in our schools? The majority of Americans favor more comprehensive sex education over abstinence education, even though many schools are still providing abstinence-focused programs(click for link).  Additionally, at least 3 out of 4 parents have said that they believe sex education should include proper condom usage, other forms of birth control, sexual orientation, pressure to have sex, and the emotional consequences of sexual activity(click for link).  The BRIGHT Families curricula cover all these topics at the high school level, and most of these topics at the middle school level. How does the BRIGHT Families Project provide education to San Diego youth? Through classroom middle- and high-school classroom presentations, weekly boy's groups, mentor/mentee training, and community presentations,  BRIGHT Families provides comprehensive sex education in San Diego County.  Using two standard curricula, Power Through Choices and Draw the Line, students are taught about physiology and anatomy, sexually transmitted infections, choices and effects concerning abstinence and sexual activity, contraceptives, how to access appropriate health care, as well as answer any questions students may have.  During the course of our educational sessions, safe and responsible health choices are stressed and encouraged.  For more information, see the "Our Programs" tab at the top of the page.