The SKYE Project helps teens take charge of their health and overall well-being
Avoidance of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and unplanned pregnancy
Opportunities to take on leadership roles at school and in the community
Financial support and other assistance for school fees, supplies, job readiness, college planning, and more
Did you know?
Teens who participated in sex-ed programs generally get better grades and score higher on tests than teens who haven’t had sexual health education. They also graduate high school and attend college at higher rates.
What SKYE offers
Students who are a part of SKYE have access to a full menu of activities and resources to address a wide range of topics:
Making Proud Choices and Positive Prevention Plus
Multi-session courses with lots of interactivity, showing you how to reduce the health risks of sexual activity
MAKING PROUD CHOICES
Making Proud Choices is an evidence-based, 8-lesson, safer-sex curriculum that provides adolescents with the knowledge, confidence and skills necessary to reduce their risk of STI/HIV and pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using condoms if they choose to have sex. The intervention is based on cognitive-behavioral theories, focus groups and the authors’ extensive experience working with youth. Additional information about the curriculum can be found at Making Proud Choices.
LESSON 1: Getting to Know You and Steps to Making Your Dreams Come True
Objectives: Identify several agreements for group participation that will facilitate discussion and learning, identify what it means to be proud and responsible, describe the benefits of proud and responsible behavior, identify at least 2 reasons why teens have sex, the consequences of sex and strategies for reducing those consequences, describe at least 1 goal they wish to achieve in the future, and identify barriers to achieve their personal goals and strategies for overcoming them
LESSON 2: The Consequences of Sex: HIV Infection
Objectives: Identify the basic facts about HIV and AIDS, distinguish myths from facts about HIV and AIDS, identify a person’s risk of HIV infection as a result of engaging in various sexual and non-sexual behaviors, identify which behaviors are low risk and no risk for contracting HIV infection, and identify how HIV infection can be prevented
LESSON 3: Attitudes about Sex, HIV and Condom Use
Objectives: Identify their attitudes toward risky sexual behavior, problem solve for risky sexual behavior situations, recall correct information about HIV/AIDS and advocate and give advice regarding safer sex strategies
LESSON 4: Strategies for Preventing HIV Infection: Stop, Think and Act
Objectives: State and explain the 3 steps of the problem-solving model, state how using problem-solving steps can help avoid risky situations, explain how making their own decisions makes it more likely that they will achieve their goals and dreams and provide correct answers to review questions on HIV and AIDS
LESSON 5: The Consequences of Sex: STDs
Objectives: Identify the signs and symptoms of the most common STDs, identify how STDs and HIV are transmitted and how they can be prevented, acknowledge their perceived risk for STDs, demonstrate steps for correct use of a condom and identify how condoms can prevent STDs including HIV and pregnancy
LESSON 6: The Consequences of Sex: Pregnancy
Objectives: Distinguish myths from facts about pregnancy and identify specific birth control methods that may be used to prevent pregnancy
LESSON 7: Developing Condom Use and Negotiation Skills
Objectives: List the correct steps to using a condom, identify barriers to using condoms and practicing other safer sex behaviors, identify strategies for implementing condom use, identify ways to make condoms a more pleasurable part of the sexual experience, demonstrate the ability to respond to excuses a partner may give with statements in support of condom use and identify strategies for negotiating condom use with their partners
LESSON 8: Enhancing Refusal and Negotiation Skills
Objectives: Demonstrate body language and strategies for effectively saying no to unprotected sex, identify strategies for negotiating safer sex with a sexual partner, demonstrate the ability to negotiate condom use with a partner and express pride about sticking to decisions that can help them to achieve their goals
Positive Prevention Plus
Positive Prevention PLUS is a 13-session curriculum (1st lesson is introduction to PPP) that addresses risk factors and behaviors associated with unplanned teen pregnancy by increasing adolescent’s ability to use risk-reduction skills including contraceptive use, resistance and negotiation skills, and accessing reproductive health services. The program seeks to teach adolescents to either delay/abstain from sexual activity or use birth control consistently and correctly when engaging in sexual activity. The program was designed for implementation in a classroom setting or community sites, and was evaluated in a high school setting.
LESSON 0: Getting Started
Objectives: Identify and follow class guidelines for appropriate behavior, define and discuss the gender-related terms, complete a self-assessment of pre-existing knowledge related to interpersonal relationships and sexual health, and identify facts about teen sexual health
LESSON 1: Life Planning
Objectives: Identify personal life plans and goals, visualize achieving life plans and goals, and identify several steps needed to take now to reach their goals
LESSON 2: Healthy Relationships
Objectives: Identify 3 components of love, identify 8 types of intimacy, identify non-sexual ways to achieve intimacy, identify the qualities of a healthy relationship, and assess their own relationship skills
LESSON 3: Relationship Abuse
Objectives: Explain why consent is an important aspect of healthy relationships, commit to end inappropriate sexual behavior in self and others, identify risky sex-related behaviors such as sex trafficking, sexting and meeting strangers online, demonstrate a variety of ways to protect himself/herself, and identify how to respond to inappropriate sexual behaviors
LESSON 4: Human Trafficking
Objectives: Define human trafficking including sex trafficking, describe how common human trafficking is in the U.S., identify populations that are vulnerable to human trafficking, identify the warning signs of human trafficking, and identify resources for reporting and escaping human trafficking
LESSON 5: Preventing an Unplanned Pregnancy
Objectives: Identify reasons for planning for a family, describe a range of contraceptive methods including their effectiveness in preventing pregnancy and STIs, and identify sexual abstinence as the only way to prevent unintended pregnancy or STIs
Lesson 6: Prenatal Care and Parenting
Not included in SKYE implementation.
LESSON 7: Myths and Stereotypes about HIV infection
Objectives: Identify myths or stereotypes regarding persons infected with HIV, describe the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and their family life, and express concern for persons with disabilities or illness including those infected with HIV
LESSON 8: HIV/AIDS Epidemic
Objectives: Describe the magnitude of the AIDS epidemic, identify the fluids and body openings for HIV transmission, identify behaviors that will and will not put a person at risk for HIV transmission, and describe the effectiveness of PrEP, PEP and ART in the prevention and treatment of an HIV infection
LESSON 9: Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections
Objectives: Identify and describe common STIs and their symptoms, describe ways that STIs can be transmitted, and identify community resources for STI testing and treatment
LESSON 10: Protection and Communication
Objectives: Identify abstinence as the only 100% effective method to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, HIV and STIs, identify the success and failure rate of latex condoms in preventing pregnancy and the spread of HIV/STIs, describe the proper use of a latex condom and demonstrate condom negotiation skills
LESSON 11: Media and Peer Pressure
Objectives: Identify pressures from peers, media or society to engage in high-risk behaviors, recognize that not all students participate in high-risk behaviors and demonstrate skills to refuse/avoid the pressure to engage in high-risk behaviors
LESSON 12: Accessing Community Resources
Objectives: Describe how an HIV infection can spread through a population and identify resources for HIV/STI testing, counseling and information
LESSON 13: Steps to Success
Objectives: Identify behaviors and choices that move closer to or further away from life plans and goals, specify several next steps needed to take toward accomplishing life goals, create and sign a personal contract affirming the commitment to avoid HIV/STI infection or an unplanned pregnancy and assess what was learned in the unit
Engaging Workshops
Single sessions that dig into leadership, advocacy, self-expression, and financial literacy
Workshops
SKYE partners with other youth development organizations to provide group learning experiences that support SKYE teens in developing skills that will prepare them for adulthood.
Financial Literacy
Understanding money is the first and most important step to financial well-being and future financial freedom. The SKYE Project partners with Jonathan D. Rosen Family Foundation to offer live, in-person Financial Literacy Workshops through its Wealthy Habits series. Fun and engaging instructors teach kids to build good money habits now. They will learn everything from budgeting to credit to investing. Youth will have the MONEY TOOLS that will create a more secure future and achieve financial well-being.
Course 1 Building Smart Financial Habits
This course covers ways to earn money, paying income taxes, budgeting, and the importance of paying yourself first. Each of the 6 lessons consist of a variety of videos, activities, quizzes, and even signing up for group activities with other students.
Course 2 The Economy & You
During this course we cover basic economics, including the supply and demand rules, opportunity costs and marginal utilities. Then we will talk about how the economy affects our personal money behaviors; what roles do the government and the federal reserve bank play to regulate the market? Next we will talk about the personal perspective of rich vs wealthy and how we should set goals towards success.
Course 3 Understanding Credit and Debt
During this course we will cover the basics of credit card and debit card, what are the pros and cons of using a credit card or a debit card; then we will introduce the banking services and how you can open a checking account and a savings account. In this course, we will also discuss more about credit scores – what is credit score and how does credit score affect our life. There are 6 lessons each with a variety of videos, activities, quizzes, and even signing up to do group activities with other students.
Course 4 Introduction to Investing
During this course we will cover the rule of 72, introduction to public markets, stocks, how to start investing as a teen, and risks teens should be aware of. There are 5 lessons each with a variety of videos, activities, quizzes, and creative fun.
Self-Expression and Advocacy
SKYE has partnered with VOX Teen Communications/VOX ATL to deliver workshops to help teens build skills in communication, expression and using their voices to advocate for things most important to them. Teen who participate in SKYE have access to the following trainings as well as opportunities to work on a podcast or publish their work.
Session 1 Self-expression: “Grab the mic — what do you speak up for?”
A session focused on supporting individuals in a group speaking up about a community issue/social justice topic the group is passionate about. They will speak-up and make media about their social justice topic. Writing and art options are available for individuals; group media projects can include a podcast or video.
Session 2 Self-expression & advocacy: “Your voice – your power”
A session for youth who already know what they are passionate about and want to craft persuasive messages about their topic. Participants will write an op-ed or letter for publication, and/or design social media posts promoting their advocacy agenda.
Session 3 Self-expression through poetry & performance poetry
Participants work with teaching artists (near-peers) from VOX ATL’s poetry & spoken word program, Atlanta Word Works. The program provides space for youth throughout the metro-Atlanta area to grow and express themselves.
We also work with VOX ATL to customize workshops to meet the interest and needs of youth participating in SKYE.
Supportive Services
Access to school supplies, help with school club or sports fees, teen driver’s licenses, arranging college tours, finding behavioral health services, tutoring and more
SKYE Resource Directory
Where to go for teen-friendly health services, mental health treatment, contraceptive services, STI/HIV testing and treatment, job readiness programs, and other resources.
Check out the Resource Directory
Youth Voices Drive SKYE
We invite and encourage SKYE students to be part of the SKYE Council. It’s a great leadership opportunity where youth can provide input to ensure the programs and activities meet their needs.
What’s Your “PLAN A”
An entertaining and educational sexual health video for girls
See how three young women grapple with life-changing choices at life-defining moments. What would you do in their situations?
To bring SKYE into your school or community program:
Email us at skye@dph.ga.gov or call us 770-520-7390
Reach out anytime.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The SKYE Project is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2,827,824 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government.