Ohio: Teen Project Aims to Halt HIV/AIDS

When Jesse Torrence discovered that Lucas County, Ohio, had the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate among people in their 20s statewide -- hitting many in the Latino and African-American communities -- the 23-year-old Monclova Township native decided to do something about it.

Using a $35,000 grant from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, Torrence began recruiting students from high schools with the largest Hispanic populations -- Waite, Libbey, and Woodward -- for Adelante Inc.'s student Latino AIDS project.

Project Coordinator Torrence is working to challenge young people's notion that they are invincible, something he himself struggled with. "Before I started, I knew what everyone else knew: You can get [HIV/AIDS] through unprotected sex and [intravenous] drug use. But I really didn't see myself at risk until I started learning about these statistics, and for young people, it really opens your eyes," Torrence said.

According to Torrence, young people "believe HIV and AIDS are a problem for other groups. We want to create positive peer pressure [and] want to deliver the message that it's no longer cool to have six sex partners by the time you're 13. We want people to know it's cool to remain abstinent."

Over the summer, other youths beyond Latinos became interested in the project, said Torrence. Active Toledo Teens Awareness Committee was formed as an outgrowth of the Latino AIDS prevention project and includes teens from all races.

The students plan to use traditional teen venues like dances as well as public service announcements during popular television shows, to spread the word about HIV/AIDS prevention for teens. "Right now, [a lot of teens] are shocked about the information I'm giving them because they don't know," said Athena Lane, a senior at Start High School. "This is all new to them, so they are drawn in."

Back to other news for October 9, 2003