Tulare County Office of Education - School Health Programs

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Positively Speaking

The Tulare County Office of Education has developed the Positively Speaking program for this area. Positively Speaking is a state-sponsored project that provides training and support to HIV infected or affected individuals to conduct presentations to middle and/or high school students, as well as other interested groups.

The Positively Speaking Program is new to Tulare County, but not to other areas of California. The concepts behind Positively Speaking are both practical and meaningful. Individuals who are HIV-Positive or who have been affected in some way by the tragedy of AIDS are invited to participate in the training that prepares them to speak in classrooms or community groups about their personal story.

The stories are sad, but inspiring. Part of the two-day training included a "practice" session with about 20 students from a local Community School. After the presentations, the students were asked to give input about the content and value of what they had just experienced. After wiping a tear or two surreptitiously, one youth said "I wish everyone could hear this. I want my brother to hear it for sure!" Another said, "I'm going to go get tested. I've got a lot of tattoos."

HIV/AIDS education is required by law at the middle school and high school levels. Positively Speaking will help the schools meet this mandate.

HIV/AIDS is not a fun topic. It is not a fun disease. But the little group of people in that two-day training had fun! They danced, they laughed, they ate, they teased, they cried, they worked hard. They finished their time together knowing they had the courage to care and the desire to do something good to help others.

Presentation Application (.pdf file 12KB)

The Presentation Application requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. You may download the freeware version by clicking on the Adobe icon to the right.

Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Program
Positively Speaking HIV/AIDS Volunteer Speaker Program
Shadowing Program for COS Nursing Students
Family Life Education

Tulare County Office of Education
School Health Program
7000 Doe Avenue, Building 700
Visalia, CA 93291

Candy Hilvers, Program Manager
(559) 651-0130
fax: (559) 651-1995

Please direct web site problems or comments to tcoeweb@tcoe.org.