LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
AIDS Delaware Launches Social Marketing Campaign |
AIDS Delaware announced the launch of its Social Marketing Campaign 2000 designed to prevent HIV infection among teens through education. The statewide campaign will run from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It will include radio spots, a teen HIV/AIDS testing drive, a free summer performing arts workshop and outdoor advertising. "We're in a state with the 5th highest rate of AIDS cases in the country. Unfortunately, our youth continue to be a high-risk group," says Quinton Massey, director of Counseling and Testing at AIDS Delaware. "Getting the right information to teens is the first step in lowering their risk. Changing their behavior is the next." The summertime campaign is geared to reaching out to teens by going where they go, and to pulling teens in to AIDS Delaware events. The radio spots, created by teens from Cab Calloway School of the Performing Arts and Mount Pleasant High School, will run on JANE, KISS FM and WRDX. "Our radio spots are teens teaching teens. There's no better way of getting through to that age group than through their peers," Massey says. The radio spots recreate real-life scenarios between two teens. "In one spot, a guy doesn't believe he could have HIV because he doesn't feel sick. He couldn't be more wrong, and that's a fatal mistake," Massey says. The grand prize for the teen HIV/AIDS testing drive, sponsored by KISS FM, is a guest dj spot with Mellie Mel, one of the area's hottest dj's for this age group. The testing drive will be held on National Counseling and Testing DayJune 27th at the YMCA Central Branch from 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. "The goal is to make teens aware of their HIV status. So many people in Delawareof any age groupdon't know if they are infected or not," Massey says, adding, "Anyone who tests that day, plus comes back to AIDS Delaware in two weeks to hear their test results, will get a chance to win a dj spot with Mellie Mel." The free summer workshop, another part of the Social Marketing Campaign 2000, is called performAIDS. It will give teens theatrical and radio experience while teaching them about HIV and AIDS prevention. Taught by Cab Calloway teacher Sarah Schmittinger, the workshop will run from July 17 through August 3rd. Teens will give a performance for the community as well as create their own public service announcement at the KISS FM studios. Any high school-age teen that is a resident of Delaware is eligible to take part in the workshop. Those interested must submit an application by June 7th to AIDS Delaware and take part in a brief interview on either June 12th or June 13th. Sixteen teens will be selected to participate. AIDS Delaware, founded in 1984, is Delaware's largest and oldest AIDS service organization. It works for health in the human family by providing social and support services to clients and their families as well as prevention and education programs to halt the spread of HIV and other STDs. It also advocates compassionate public policy. For more information on these programs, visit the website at www.aidsdelaware.org, or call AIDS Delaware at 302-652-6776. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 5, May 19, 2000. |