HIV&AIDS

Coordinators: Micki Baron
                         Rashida Richardson

Mission: Focus on HIV/AIDS  and safe sex education in teens. Train Wesleyan students to teach cooperative and interactive workshops in Connecticut high schools, and assist with awareness and fundraising events on campus, including World AIDS Week (December).  Fundraise and volunteer at the Oasis Center, a local support center for HIV positive individuals in Middletown.

LOCATION OF PROGRAM: Based on Wesleyan’s campus but personal transportation is needed for teachings at local schools.

HISTORY:  Started by student more than 6 years ago, and certain aspect of the group have evolved throughout the years.

ACTIVITIES:

Teaching

ASHA teaches in local high school throughout the school year. We have created an array of activities that are included in our curriculum and encourage our members every year to create new and interesting additions. In addition, for some schools that we have taught many times

Fundraising

Each year we create multiple kinds of fundraisers ranging from bake sales to dance parties. The standard fundraiser that we have annually is Frottage, which takes place during or around World Aids Week, and selling candygrams.  Frottage is a dance party which has varied throughout the years. Typically it is thrown at either eclectic or psi u and is a simple dance party with a dj and simply decorations. In 2007, we collaborated with Psi U and threw a more extravagant party featuring Chicago –based DJs Flosstradamus, which took a lot of time and various money sources but was overall successful. Candygrams are bags of about a handful of candy that we sell around Halloween and Valentines Day they are pretty successful, and require very little effort execute. They are sold by ASHA members to friends and in the campus center for a week. We typically sell each Candygram for about $2, depending on size and offer a deal like 3 for $5.

Campus/Community awareness

            ASHA tries to bring awareness to sexual health issues and HIV/AIDS to the Wesleyan and Middletown community throughout the school year. We have added and participated in different events and activities each year based upon the interest of our members. The two standard events that ASHA commits to in regards to campus and community awareness each year is World AIDS Week and out annual STD testing. ASHA works with various other student groups to create a week full of events to educate, fundraise and interact with the Wesleyan campus and Middletown for World AIDS Week. In the past we have brought speakers, had lectures/discussions with experts, professors and community members, etc. The two particular events of this week that ASHA is solely responsible for is the previously mentioned party/fundraiser Frottage, and an AIDS vigil. During the vigil the Wesleyan and Middletown community members join to listen to community members affected by HIV/AIDS, acapella groups, etc. It is a well received and attended event that usually ends off the week of events on and inspirational and positive note. The campus-wide STD testing is an event run by ASHA with the help of the Connecticut State Health Department. It is now a state-wide program with all universities that start at Wesleyan in 2004. We have information, safe sex supplies, and “goodies” available, and Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, and a limited amount of HIV/AIDS test are for a whole afternoon to the campus community for free. There is typically a large turnout for this event so ASHA will work in conjunction with program houses and RAs.

SKILLS NEEDED: Creativity, Interest in Teaching and Fundraising.

COMMITMENT REQUIRED: Short weekly meeting but in general the time commitment can vary. Teaching typically occurring in the early morning and require time, and there are more demands around the time of World AIDS Week.

DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING/ORIENTATION PROVIDED:  In the time leading up to our teaching dates we have training sessions during our meetings. Also each member is required to do at least one class observation to fully understand the teaching before he/she/ze teaches in the classroom.