A pilot educational program in human sexuality designed for junior high age adolescents was conducted jointly by the St. Paul, Minnesota Maternal and Infant Care Project and the St. Paul Public Schools. This program encompassed two courses which presented a comprehensive view of young men and women as sexual beings. The goal was to affect primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy and other problems related to adolescent sexuality. Pre- and posttest scores demonstrated a statistically significant increase in student knowledge, and weekly evaluations revealed consistent interest in subject matter presented.
PIP: An experimental sex education program was conducted at a junior high school in St. Paul, Minnesota. The course was developed and offered jointly by the St. Paul Maternal and Infant Care Project and the St. Paul public school system. Course content covered a wide range of topics, including methods of contraception. Responsible decision making was emphasized throughout the course and the major goal of the course was pregnancy prevention. Prior to the implementation of this course, no formal sex education course was given by the school system. The course was taught by a team composed of a teacher from the school, the school nurse, a nurser practitioner, and a health educator. Team members prepared individual class sessions on subjects in which they had expertise. Before the project was implemented a representative group of parents met with the school staff to discuss course structure and content. After the course was underway, all parents were invited to an open house where they had an opportunity to meet the staff and examine the teaching materials used in the course. Teaching techniques included lectures, decision making exercises, group discussions, and group projects. A variety of audio-visual materials were used. Students were encouraged to talk freely about their sexual feelings. Each week the students were expected to complete an evaluation sheet and were encouraged to constructively criticize the course. A comparison of scores achieved by the students on a test administered before the course and on a test administered after the completion of the course indicated that the students had significantly increased their sexual knowledge in the interim. The weekly evaluation sheets indicated that the students found the course interesting and helpful.