Several students will take on roles as HIV/AIDS peer educators after recently completing a weeklong training program offered by the Westchester chapter of the American Red Cross.

Tanisha Daley, a 16-year-old junior at Mount Vernon High School, explained why she got involved: "AIDS is really affecting the black community. If I could help one or two people with this information I learned, then I have made a difference."

In the training, which was funded by the Peer Education program of the Mount Vernon's Youth Bureau, the students received materials including videos and an instructor's manual. "With this knowledge, we can protect ourselves and our friends," said Ade Bess, 17. "The more our peers hear from us, the more likely they are to make wise decisions."

"We have to make sure that the students are equipped with the current and correct information," said Barbara Bischoff, director of mental health and safety for the Red Cross. "And they must learn to present that information in a nonjudgmental and culturally sensitive way."

On April 13, the teens tried out their new skills on an audience that include Mayor Ernest Davis and other Mount Vernon officials. The Youth Bureau has funded the program since 1997.

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