For Schools
A Complete Education for Kids Includes Sex and Relationship Education
The California Healthy Youth Act (CA Education Code Sections 51930‐51939) requires school districts to provide students with integrated, comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased sexual health and HIV prevention education. Comprehensive Sexual Health Education teaches young people the importance of dignity and respect for themselves, and compassion for others. At its best, kids learn how to have healthy relationships, make informed decisions, think critically about the world, be a good ally to those who are marginalized, and love themselves for who they are.
Curriculum is provided in accordance with the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA) and taught by Trish Hecker. Alternatively, Trish can teach any state-approved curriculum selected by your school, or do one-on-one training with teachers and staff who will lead their own classes.
Grades Kindergarten through 5th
Sex education in elementary school covers foundational building blocks around things
like consent, boundaries, body awareness, and the diversity with which we form relationships and families. We want to equip young people with the support they need
to feel confident in their bodies and also advocate for what feels safe and appropriate
in their pre-teen years.
Curriculum highlights as outlined by the state include:
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Age-appropriate, medically accurate and objective curriculum
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Body autonomy and safety
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Encourage students to communicate questions with trusted adults about
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Teach respect for committed relationships such as marriage
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Provide skills for forming healthy relationships
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Provide knowledge and skills for making healthy decisions about sexuality
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Affirmatively recognize different sexual orientations
Grades 6th - 8th
Puberty can be a challenging stage of life. By equipping developing students with confidence, accurate information and permission to ask questions about physical,
mental and emotional changes is critical during this time. At this important time, fundamental knowledge of sexual health and how to verbalize their needs and
questions, helps to ease the confusion and discomfort of moving from child to young
adult. When practiced in the classroom setting, kids are more likely to exercise their
skills outside of the school setting, and provide invaluable resources that can be
utilized for a lifetime.
Curriculum highlights as outlined by the state include:
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Identifying values around sexuality and personal values
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Understanding their bodies, feelings, and physical changes
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Teaching communication skills around body autonomy, boundaries, consent and bullying
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How to seek out trusted adults to ask questions and get direction
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Understanding identities
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Reproductive and sexual anatomy
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Puberty changes
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Ovulation, menstruation, contraception and HIV/AIDS
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Personal hygiene and self-care
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Provide knowledge and skills for making healthy decisions about sexuality
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Affirmatively recognize different sexual orientations & gender identity
Grades 9th - 12th
As kids mature into adults during the high school years, we continue to build on their knowledge with the full picture of sexual health. We want kids to enter the world as
adults that feel confident, informed and ready to advocate for themselves and others
as they navigate a life away from family and their early school years. Our high school curriculum focuses on sexual development, empowered decisions, and goal setting for
the future. Through group discussions, role-playing and other interactive techniques
we cover a wide range of age-appropriate topics.
Curriculum highlights as outlined by the state include:
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Outlining personal values
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Setting future goals
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Communication with peers and trusted adults
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Making decisions and skills for dealing with pressure
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Healthy peer and partner communication
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Sexual orientation and gender identity
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Sexual safety and consent
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Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS
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Contraception options
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Preventing unintended pregnancy and CA legal pregnancy options
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Media and Technology Literacy
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Sexual safety and consent
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Affirmatively recognize different sexual orientations & gender identity
All kids, regardless of physical or mental ability should have access to quality and comprehensive sexual health education. Our curriculum contains the same age-appropriate information but is tailored to the learning abilities of the student.
Curriculum highlights as outlined by the state include:
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Anatomy
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Physical & Sexual Development
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Personal Hygiene
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Decision-Making & Asking for Help
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Dealing with Pressure
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Family Communication
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Public vs. Private Spaces & Behaviors
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Conception & Pregnancy
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HIV/AIDS
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Gender Identity
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Healthy Relationships
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Sexual Safety & Appropriate Behavior
Special Needs
As with all Open Door Support services, these programs are medically accurate,
LGBTQAI+ inclusive, and aligned with the California Healthy Youth Act.
Why Does Sex Ed Matter?
According to the current working definition, sexual health is "…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled” (WHO, 2006a).
Did you know that youth want to talk with parents about sex, relationships and sexual health? (Source: Hacker et al., 2001)
Below we have highlighted key statistics that illustrate the importance of whole life sexual health education. How we talk about and perceive sexual health growing up affects who we become as adults and, in turn, how we raise and teach our children. Together, we can change the conversation.
01
Unprotected Sex
Teens who talk with a trusted adult about sex and protection are less likely to engage in early and/or unprotected sexual intercourse than are teens who haven't talked with a trusted adult (Miller et al, 1998).
02
Childhood Sexual Abuse
1 out of 4 girls, and 1 out of 13 boys experience child sexual abuse. Ninety-one percent of the time the perpetrator is someone familiar to the parent and child. Childhood sexual abuse is preventable. Read more here.
03
LGBT Youth Suicide
The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. Read more here.
04
Body Dysmorphia
Body Dysmorphic Disorder tends to occur during adolescence, the most common age of onset is 12 to 13 years. (Bjornsson et al., 2013).
05
Pornography/Sexual Media
The average first pornography exposure is between 11 and 12 years old (Kraus & Rosenberg, 2014; Rothman, 2021).
Something for Everyone
In addition to our CHYA approved curriculum,
we offer topic-specific workshops for parents, faculty
and staff. Learn more about our variety of current workshops or reach out to develop a custom workshop for your specific needs.