About our team and impact
We currently present in six schools—both public and private—as well as several community organizations outside the school setting.
Our 45North Team includes eleven trained presenters, including Dr. Wendy Handley, ZoeCare’s STI Clinic Director.
Teachers frequently remark that they wish they had learned this information when they were younger, and often comment on the positive and encouraging way the material is presented.
“I like how in the STI/STD lesson you don’t shock the children with scary images but instead show the basic images of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, describe the common categories and various symptoms, and focus on avoidance and sexual delay. It gives hope and empowers the kids to make healthy choices. Plus, you make it fun with the activity and the game.”
Teachers also say,
“We love Dr. Wendy, she’s outstanding!”
“Your presenters had great classroom management and knew the content well.”
“Thank you for teaching maturation classes all these years—that’s not an easy subject to teach and you have done a wonderful job.”
Students say,
“Dr. Wendy is kind and makes sure we understand what she is teaching before she moves on to the next topic.”
“My presenter, she was very kind and good at explaining the lessons and fun and helpful.”
“My presenter, he was nice, honest, chill, encouraging, tough, and would talk to me.”
Sources of standards for education
45North lesson plans equip and encourage students to avoid risk behaviors such as early sexual activity, drug use, alcohol use, and other harmful behaviors, as identified by these four primary organizations:
The Lessons
We encourage each school or organization to consult with our Education Director to select the lessons appropriate for their grade level or audience. Lessons are designed to be interactive, engaging, and informative. The following is an example of the topics we teach on, offered according to appropriate age level.
Body Literacy
Safety
- Healthy Boundaries and Consent Human Trafficking, Cyber and Sexual Predator Safety
- Sexual Abuse Prevention and Care
- Sexually Transmitted Infection and Disease education and prevention (Not for younger children unless a school requests our 5th/6th-grade lesson)
Healthy Relationships
- The Optimal Health Model
- Impact on ourselves and others: Values, Choices, and Outcomes
- Goal Setting
- Types of Love
- Dating
- Marriage
- Self-Esteem, Peer Pressure, and Body Image
- The Three Pillars of Health: Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep
Looking Ahead
Our goal for 45North is to continue reaching more youth throughout our community.
If you are a parent in southwest Montana and would like to partner with us to get into your school, please contact us for more information.
Are you interested in joining our 45North Team and making an impact in children's lives right here in Southwest Montana? We provide training and shadowing to equip presenters to serve confidently and effectively. Please contact us to learn more!
sexual risk avoidance & stds
- Twenty-five research studies of sexual risk avoidance (SRA) programs show significant behavioral changes in improving teen outcomes.1
- Although nearly all (99%) sexually experienced teen women have used some form of contraception, STDs continue to be at epidemic levels among youth.2
- Young adults (age 15-24) contract about 10 million new STDs each year, costing about $8 billion in direct medical costs.3
1. Ascend (2016) SRA Works. Washington DC.
2. CDC (2016). Youth Online High School YRBS: 2015. Atlanta.
3. CDC (2016) Fact Sheet: Reported STDs in the United States, 2016.
