Area Eleven

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

Welcome to the Area 11 website!

Area 11 Spring Conference Information

Peer Education: Pride, Passion, & Promise
February 27-March 1, 2009
The University of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania

Future Area 11 Spring Conference Dates
April 9-11, 2010
Oswego State University
Oswego, NY

2011
Host School TBA
New Jersey

2012
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA

2013
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY

This is a site for you!

So, I would like to know what you think of it and what would like to see on it.
Please send any comments, thoughts, or input to: area11sac@bacchusgamma.org

I would like to know what your school is up to!
If you email me about any of the following, you might find yourself in the Area 11 Newsletter or on the website:
(please be sure to include your name and school)

• your school's peer education group
• a program that you are really proud of
• a peer educator or advisor that you feel deserves to be commended
• what your school is doing for the upcoming Sexual Responsibility Week Campaign
• great fund raising ideas
• also feel free to send pictures of your peer education group or single members (at programs, events, campaigns, conferences, or anywhere else), and any shirts, posters, and logos that you have designed and created

AREA 11 NEWSLETTERS:

• March/April 2007 Edition
• January/February 2007 Edition

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHTS:

New Jersey
A Leader Worthy of Praise: Dyana Galis-Menendez of the Richard Stockton College

Richard Stockton College of New Jersey has a group called the Certified Peer Educator Club. One outstanding member, Dyana Galis-Menendez, who is also the president of the group has shown outstanding leadership.

After attending a national conference in Orlando last November on the topic of sexual assault, Dyana became highly motivated to create something similar on her campus. Acknowledging that this topic is a huge area of concern for so many college students, she assisted with the collaboration of several departments including administration and recruited her fellow student senators to support this project.

Dyana's input and insight was invaluable in creating the conference. Not only was this conference the first of its kind at Richard Stockton College, but it also proved to be very successful, enticing over 325 participants.

Dyana has the keen ability to see what needs to be done and to get busy about doing something about it. She also demonstrates concern for her peers and is very active in the training of others to be effective peer educators, as she has visited a Peer Education class taught by Luanne Anton, the group's advisor, several times and makes herself available to them for assistance outside of the usual school hours.

Dyana is an amazing young woman with lots of love and talent that she constantly spreads to others. Her advisor is very proud to have her working as part of their team at Richard Stockton College.

New York
The Student Health Center Peer Health Educators of Lehman College have a semester packed with fun events!

Lehman College of New York has a group called the Student Health Center Peer Health Educators (PHEs) headed by Health Educator, Jessica Butts.

Currently the group is made up of 3 peer educators, all of who are international students (two from Jamaica and one from Nigeria). The group consists of two male Undergraduate students and one female Graduate student.

The students receive weekly training, conducted like a class, but not for credit. They are paid for up to 10 hours a week for $8-$10 an hour.

This semester the PHEs are planning many events alongside promotion for their bi-weekly HIV testing services, women's health services, and health insurance enrollment services. The group also hosts many workshops.

February will start off with "Love Yourself" month, which will include a series of events and workshops promoting heart health, vision screenings, safer sex, healthy eating and positive body image.

In March the PHEs plan to host some programs for male students only, one of which is entitled "Talking in the Men's Room." One of the male counselors and the two male peers will facilitate the discussion for this program, which will focus on communication, healthy relationships, sexual consent, and more. The group is also planning to sponsor a workshop for male self exams.

They will be spending April putting the finishing touches on our Wellness Festival, which is scheduled for May 2nd.

Pennsylvania
CHEW at the University of Scranton Helps Their Peers "COPE!"

The Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW) at The University of Scranton in Pennsylvania is home to COPE, the University's Coalition of Peer Educators. COPE is comprised of three peer education teams that work closely together to educate students about relevant health issues on campus. The three peer education teams include ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Awareness Peer Team), PEACE (Peer Educators on AIDS/other STIs in a College Environment), and SART (Sexual Assault Response Team). Throughout the academic year, approximately 60 trained student volunteers lead active and informative sessions designed to help their fellow students make healthy decisions and live balanced, productive lives. Residence halls, classes, outdoor events, organization meetings and trainings are frequent stops for COPE teams.

Each year, COPE branches out to explore new ways of reaching fellow students with useful information. Past years have seen "Life after the Party" programs consisting of series simulated parties for all incoming freshmen complete with music, food and drink, and typical scenarios one would encounter at a college party. Participants along with the peers actually act out typical roles people assume during a night of partying. After a few minutes of fun, COPE members then break participants up into small groups to process events and share important health information.

This past spring COPE members hosted a Safe Spring Break Fair involving several other university and community groups to provide an interactive experience for student travelers seeking a safe break from the routine. Students entering the Fair received Hawaiian lays and a passport to over twenty interactive tables where they could learn about various health topics including body piercing, STIs, safe travel tips, sun safety, alcohol poisoning, and respect and safety abroad. There was live music, prizes, tip cards, mock-tails, and games including how to pack a suitcase in 5 minutes or less. After visiting all table locations, students submitted their stamped passports as entries into a prize drawing for i-pods, gift certificates and several other prizes.

This past fall COPE members were active hosting educational programs and activities. ADAPT members assisted with the University's social norms marketing campaign, Just the Facts, which promotes healthier campus drinking norms. Peer educators conducted table sits and Health Hut outreach activities designed to generate myth vs. reality discussions in regard to student alcohol use. Peers took their message on the road setting up their portable Health Hut in various locations on campus. During the week of Halloween peers created a Crib Crashers event in which they visited unsuspecting residents and provided information and sweet treats to those who could share the University statistic reflecting the actual drinking norm on campus. PEACE members distributed red ribbons, rallied other campus groups to participate in a local HIV/AIDS Walk, sponsored two special guest speakers, and created a photo exhibit reflecting the many different faces of AIDS. SART members collaborated with the campus Women's Center, Public Safety and Information Technology to sponsor a campus Stalking Awareness program and held a Take Back the Night Rally and Walk.

This spring COPE members will join forces with the College of Nursing and other departments on campus to provide a Health Fair complete with free massages - and pet therapy, a service currently provided by the University's counseling center!

For more information about The University of Scranton's Coalition of Peer Educators, ADAPT, PEACE, and SART and their activities, visit CHEW at the U: http://www.scranton.edu/chew

AFFILIATE LISTING

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA