45North Relationship Training

Standard 4: Demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Standard 5: Demonstrate the ability to use decision making skills to enhance health.

Standard 7: Demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

Montana OPI's Health Enhancement Standards 

Do you hand out condoms in the classroom?

45North presenters share medically accurate information about contraception but do not demonstrate or distribute condoms to the students. 45North informs students that, although contraception can reduce the risk of pregnancy or STD transmission, refraining from sexual activity until they are in a long-term monogamous relationship is the only way to avoid all the possible risks associated with sexual activity.

What is Sexual Risk Avoidance education?

Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) education is a holistic approach to addressing all risks related to teen sex. It differs from the Sexual Risk Reduction (SRR) method in that SRA seeks to teach students the necessary tools to eliminate all risks rather than just reducing risks. SRR primarily focuses on reducing risk by increasing the contraceptive usage among teens. For more information and understanding the SRA approach visit, https://weascend.org/resources/.

What do teens think of 45north?

At the end of the presentation we have the students take a quick evaluation of the program. We ask them four questions: I feel, I liked, I disliked, I learned. Below are common responses for each of the questions from all three schools:

I Feel:

That I learned a lot about more about relationships

I feel that I will be able to resist/say no to things that may harm me

They did a good job teaching

Informed

More confident about relationships

It was fun

Educated

I Liked:

The activities

The candy

The way we learned. It wasn’t awkward for the most part

That we learned about love vs. infatuation

That the teacher(s) were open to talking about uncomfortable topics

The question game when the girls and boys ask each other questions

That you shared personal stories

I Disliked:

The handouts/worksheets

That some of it made me feel awkward

The STI/STD video

Talking about pornography

Nothing, I liked all of it

Taking notes

Talking about puberty

I Learned:

About good relationships

Wait to have sex

6 areas of Intimacy

The steps of physical intimacy

STD/STIs

That it is better both physical and emotionally to wait till marriage to have sex

The difference between love vs. infatuation

About healthy relationships