The SPEEK program is a special service given by Mount Sinai Adolescent Health center. It's for youth from ages 12-21. It educates young youth on what's going on in today society, for example drugs, sex, and much more.

The SPEEK program is basically a way to keep youths motivated so they won't be out doing things out in the street to get themselves in trouble. In this special program youths are educated on pregnancy prevention, HIV/AIDS and much more. There are workshops that are given and they aim to build self-esteem, offer options and provide skills to help young people reduce their risk for HIV infection, STD's and unplanned pregnancy. This is a great program for youth to attend because it empowers young people to make healthier decision and to become their own health advocate. This gives teens a chance to be skilled on things they probably never knew before. By learning these things that are given in the speak program it helps benefit yourself in the long run, or should I say the future. Some young teens think that they know everything about sex, but what they don't know is that sex has many consequences to it and sometimes they are not good ones at all.

We must know that not only can you just get pregnant by having sex, but you can get a sexually transmitted disease that can affect you for your whole entire life. By attending this special program and learning these important facts you can help other young teens that don't understand what the moral to sex and stuff is all about you can educate them on it so   they won't make mistakes in their life that they are not ready to take care of or to be responsible for. Personally of trouble and keeps you active with something to do. Us as young teens need to take advantage of special speaking I feel that there is not enough sex education taught to young teens and you can't blame a person for not knowing because they must be taught about it to know. That's why this program is needed because many teens lack understanding of these facts that are taught.

After you agree to join the program you will be asked to take a 60-hour training on various issues and they include, HIV, pregnancy prevention, anatomy, STIs, decision making, communication and group facilitation. This helps you learn things that you probably never knew before. After taking these classes you will learn pretty much everything than you can go teach others about you what you learn

Basically to sum everything up this is a program that recruits, trains and works with a diverse group of youth. Also it teaches you things that you're not taught in school. It is a very interesting program to be in because it keeps you out of trouble and it keeps you occupied because sometimes you do not get opportunities to get things like this. This program can also make you become a better person in many ways because it can change your attitude toward yourself and people. I would recommend young teens to go to this because it is a very great experience for you to have. It is a very diverse group so you get to explore new things and new cultures. What I like the most is that the people there show you that they care and that is a good thing because that's what most of us teens need to know, that a person cares about you. Some of us lack the love we're supposed to receive at home from our families.

Jazmin Smalls