The Girl Talk Program
 

Over 7,000 girls in the US between the ages of 10 and 14 give birth each year, three million teens acquire a sexually transmitted infection yearly, 53% of young American girls age 13 and under are “unhappy with their bodies”, and 12% report being in physically violent dating relationships.
 

Girl Talk is a curriculum designed for seventh grade girls, with a program goal of combating these social and public health problems by promoting healthy sexual attitudes, decisions, and behaviors in program participants, including delaying the onset of sexual activity, and using safer sex practices should they become sexually active.
 

Using an interactive, self-reflective, experiential learning model, the program consists of nine sessions (approximately an hour each), plus a refresher session a year later to reinforce the knowledge and skills that were learned. An evening session is also held to familiarize parents with the program goals and content.
 

Session 1- Introduction and Self Awareness

Participants get an overview of the program content, goals, and objectives. Participants take place in trust-building activities, create a time capsule, write a self-reflection letter, and start a communication folder.
 

Session 2- Personal Values

Participants identify personal values and how they affect decisions about sexual activity. A sexual health plan, which facilitates sexual limit-setting, is created.
 

Session 3- Body Awareness

Participants learn factual information about physical and emotional changes which occur during puberty. Self-care and comfort with these changes are discussed.
 

Session 4- Attraction and Desire

Participants explore their own feelings of attraction and desire. They practice setting sexual limits based on personal values.
 

Session 5- Healthy Relationships

Participants practice identifying healthy, unhealthy, and neutral characteristics found in a potential romantic partner. Building respectful, caring relationships in all areas of life is emphasized.
 

Session 6- Risks of Early Sexual Activity

Participants explore reasons why young people become sexually active and why they should wait. They discuss potential consequences of sexual activity to personalize the risks. Skills for setting sexual limits are practiced.
 
 

Session 7- Safer Sex Choices

Participants learn factual information about contraceptive methods to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
 

Session 8- Decision Making and Assertive Communication

Participants practice using the steps of decision- making. In addition, they learn to assertively communicate personal choices related to sexual activity.
 

Session 9- Peer and Social Pressure

Participants indentify and practice skills to resist peer and social pressures related to sexual activity.
 

Refresher Session in 8th Grade

Participants will review the risks of early sexual activity, factual information about contraceptive methods, and will open their time capsules and self-reflection letters from session 1 to remind themselves of their personal goals and values, which may be interrupted by the consequences of early sexual activity.
 

Parent Session

An evening session for parents will familiarize them with the objectives of the program, as well as provide them with guidance on talking to their daughter about what she is learning, and is an opportunity to ask questions. A parent handbook will be provided.
 

Format 

Ideally, the Girl Talk program will run over two weeks (nine consecutive days) during the regularly scheduled health class while the male students are in a different room. This can be adapted to accommodate your school’s schedule. The program can run as “opt-in” only, where only select students who may particularly benefit from Girl Talk meet during lunch or study hall. The program can also be adapted to run only once a week for nine weeks, or can be modified to include male students.