HIP October 2021 Newsletter

Dear Friends of HIP,

While we all anticipated an easier beginning to the 2021–2022 school year, the HIP program is excited to share that we are off to a tremendous start!

During this school year alone, HIP will train over 2,500 high school peer educators who will teach over 50,000 9th grade students in public schools, charter schools and private schools!

In September, we kicked-off HIP in over 90 high schools across Florida! At these training sessions, the HIP Faculty Sponsors and HIP Student Board Members were extremely engaged and thrilled to begin recruiting other peer educators into the program!

When asked about why they are in HIP, some students and faculty said:

• “To break the stigma around these topics and make teens feel heard, safe and understood”
• “To create a safe learning environment for my peers”
• “To help others feel accepted and let them know that they are not alone; I want them to know that help is available to them”
• “To change my school’s environment to one that advocates for mental health awareness and education”
• “I want to be able to spread accurate information on real-world health topics”
• “I’m in HIP because I wish I learned this as a freshman”

We are also excited to share HIP’s spotlight in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)Council on School Health (COSH) Newsletter. Please check out page 6 where HIP Executive Director Risa Berrin discusses how HIP is “Putting the Kids in Charge of Health Education.”

Finally, we would like to introduce Ms. Katelyn Rozenbroek, HIP’s new Program Manager. Katelyn will be overseeing implementation of the HIP program at our partner high school sites, working with and supporting the HIP Faculty Sponsor Coordinators and Faculty Sponsors. She will also be overseeing and coordinating the alumni network and the peer health educator executive board. A former classroom teacher, HIP Faculty Sponsor and HIP Faculty Sponsor Coordinator, we are thrilled to formally welcome Katelyn to the team!

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of the HIP program. We are so grateful for our HIP champions!

All the best,
The HIP Team