Learning early about HIV/AIDS, other health issues

Fourth graders of the William S. Reyes Elementary School learned early about AIDS/HIV and other health issues during the school’s workshop on Tuesday at Saipan Grand Hotel’s Seaside Hall.

Eighty four students listened and interacted with speakers who discussed topics as diverse as AIDS/HIV, bullying, alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, health, and nutrition.

It was the last of three series of workshop for WSR this school year. Last month, the sixth graders attended the session, while the fifth graders did it last week.

WSR counselor Rebecca Flores, WSR teacher Janice Mendiola, and former San Antonio Elementary School principal Toby Smith talked about bullying and presented interactive activities for the students.

Police Officer Daniel Smith of the Department of Public Safety discussed alcohol, tobacco and drug use. William Macaranas, a Sexually Transmitted Disease caseworker of the Department of Public Health, talked about AIDS/HIV and STDs.

And finally, Patricia Borja of the Northern Marianas College discussed health and nutrition.

Phyllis Ain, coordinator of the workshop, told the Saipan Tribune that there are four areas that they’re touching on: intentional and unintentional bullying; alcohol, tobacco and drugs; AIDS/HIV; and nutrition and weight management.

“We have this workshop to expose our kids to these issues so they can make better choices,” Ain said.

Ain said the program is a yearly federally-funded workshop.

Flores said the workshop was made possible because the Public School System encourages teachers, counselors, and administrators to put together a proposal that will address HIV, AIDS awareness, and other pressing issues.

“So what we have are presentors talking about different concerns. For this workshop, we talked about bullying because it is part of the intentional and unintentional injury. Kids should realize how a bully works, what a bully looks like, what to do about a bully,” Flores said.

Bullying, the counselor pointed out, is a problem that has happened in any school.

“Sometimes it starts with just mere teasing, then it escalates into bullying. Teasing is a common bullying activity. So kids should realize what a bully looks for and how to address it and what to do about it,” she said.

In the alcohol, tobacco, and drug use presentation, Smith talked about curfew and the bad things that could happen when kids consume alcohol.

In the AIDS/HIV presentation, Macaranas talked about how HIV/AIDS is acquired.

Flores said that kids should realize that they have to be aware of how HIV/AIDS is transmitted because there are so many myths circulating, such as it can be acquired by just swimming in the pool or just by shaking hands.

“They have to know that it is acquired through those things that were mentioned like intercourse and transfer of fluids,” she said.

“I think this is very important because kids have to be educated at a very early age. This is a prevention program and if all the kids are educated, information is the best cure. Prevention is the best cure, better than treatment,” Flores said.