Pennsylvania: Cornell Schools $5,000 State Grant Goes Toward Sex Education

Thanks to a mini-grant from the state, the Cornell School District will offer an "age-appropriate HIV/STD pregnancy prevention curriculum" for grades seven through nine, said Sherah Ewusiak, the district's physical education and wellness teacher.

At the January meeting of the district's Education Committee, members discussed the need to incorporate a sex education curriculum into secondary physical education classes. Superintendent Donna Belas said the day after the meeting, she received notice about "mini-grants" available from the state Department of Education, and the district decided to apply.

"We're a small district, and we try to take advantage of opportunities like this," said Belas.

Sixty grant applications were submitted to the state, and 35 mini-grants were awarded. Cornell, which has 65 teachers and 700 students, received $5,000. The money will be used to purchase supplies for the classes, including textbooks and an overhead projector.

The district plans to introduce the curriculum this school year. "I'll have a parents information meeting in April," and classes will likely begin in May, said Ewusiak.

Parents can choose to opt their child out of the classes, Belas noted. "We can give their students an alternative assignment. But, typically, the majority of parents are receptive," she said.

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