National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Lunchtime Buddy Programs at Springfield Public High Schools

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, March 10, is a nationwide observance that encourages individuals to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness of its impact on women and girls. Every 35 minutes a woman tests positive for HIV in the United States. This trend is also true in Illinois where youth between the ages of 13 and 19 are among those experiencing the fastest rising rate of infection.


Illinois Department of Public Health, Center for Minority Health Service through a grant partnership with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health, is collaborating with the three public high schools in Springfield Illinois to observe National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day through a lunchtime buddy program “Respect Your Mind - Protect Your Body”. This program is specifically tailored for girls and utilizes peer educators, female student ambassadors who currently attend these schools to facilitate lunchtime discuss with their peers. Student ambassadors are local students age 13 and older who have participated in the Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services HIV awareness program Brothers And Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS (BASUAH) and are certified BASUAH ambassadors.

The ambassadors will be responsible for bringing their teams together during lunch for approximately 20 minutes (March 1 – 10, 2011), and facilitating open discussions around various topics including gender pride, HIV/AIDS, assertiveness skills and decision making skills. The program will conclude on March 10, with a mini health and debate or creative writing competition at each school.