Abuse. Drugs. Mental health issues.
It’s tough enough for anyone to talk about those problems. It can be even harder for teens facing them for the first time.
That’s why the Health Information Project (HIP) trains high school juniors and seniors to lead freshmen through a year-long health education program. The program is in 37 Miami-Dade public high schools, plus one private school. It has trained more than 1,000 juniors and seniors on how to teach and talk to younger schoolmates about health issues.
“What we’ve realized over the years is that peers can be very persuasive in a positive way and they can influence those that look like them,” said Risa Berrin, who started the program.
