Just in Time For Summer Break… New Health Awareness Guide Recommends Teens to WAIT!

East Orange, NJ — The WAIT project consisted of focus groups, surveys and interviews which produced curriculum designed to promote a healthy lifestyle for youth. WAIT: A Health Awareness Source About Virginity, Abstinence and Safe Sex is a material resource for teens and adults to break the ice about decisions and conversations about sex. WAIT was inspired by a play written in 2010 in a creative writing workshop by after school program members sponsored by SYSTAs 4 SYSTAs, Inc. (S4S).

WAIT addresses and explores the experiences and dilemmas of teen dating. The health awareness guide incorporates common core curriculum as well as statistics, medical facts and activities based around relationships and sex education. Educators, parents and mentors can use this interactive curriculum with youth to initiate the conversation about virginity, morality and family planning with ease.

The WAIT project was funded in part by HUD’s Community Block Development Grant (2014-15) through The City of East Orange’s Policy, Planning and Development Department. The original script was written by li’l systas, Tamara Jean-Charles, Chantel Clark, Ciara Clark, Shanavia Davis-Mosley, Amaris Mitchell, Tiara Cobb, Sherritta Allen, Mawiyah Reed, Jameelah Wright, Keziah Best and Mayeesa Mitchell. The curriculum was written by Program Director, Mawiyah S. Reed, Executive Director, Zelda G. Everson and Program Coordinator, Anessah T. Cabiness Ed.S.. Dr. Michael Straker M.D. F.A.C.O.G. of the Bestcare Obstetrician & Gynecologist practice in Nutley, NJ wrote the foreword for WAIT.

S4S is a community based 501(c)(3) tax – exempt corporation founded in the state of New Jersey. On April 17, 1994 a group of childhood friends from East Orange united to establish S4S to develop and enhance the self-esteem of young women in urban areas between ages of 11-21 years old. This is accomplished through gender-specific programming, tailored curriculum, life skills training, and personal development plans. Twenty-one years later, and S4S continues its mission to empower youth to take control of their destiny and rise above negativity.

For further information, contact Ms. Zelda Everson at 862 763-2535 (cell#) connectingsystas@yahoo.com / waits4s@gmail.com / www.s4sinc.org