S.H.A.P.E.

A History of SHAPE

In the mid 1980's, about the time the AIDS epidemic was becoming a public health issue, the K-State campus developed a Communicable Disease Committee. As a result of the collaborations of this committee and Lafene Health Center, an all-volunteer student group was created. The focus of this peer education group was to teach information about HIV/AIDS to the K-State campus.

By mid 1990's this peer education group had become quite established. Consequently, the Director of Health Promotion at Lafene turned the peer education group into a credit course using the American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Instructor curriculum enabling peer educators to become certified American Red Cross Instructors. The group became known as SHAPE (STD, HIV/AIDS Peer Educators).

The peer education group continued educating the K-State campus about HIV/AIDS. In 2000 they changed the meaning of the group's name SHAPE to better reflect the program's content. Now the attention of SHAPE (Sexual Health Awareness Peer Educators) is more focused on broad sexual health information rather than only HIV/AIDS. However, the foundation upon which SHAPE was founded has not been forgotten. Today, the SHAPE program continues to provide educational programs to help K-State students make responsible choices and educated decisions about their own sexual behaviors by knowing the potential risks.

Being a part of SHAPE is still a two-semester commitment. Essentially, in the first semester, members learn about HIV/AIDS, STDs, alcohol and other drugs, contraception, sexual orientation, and cultural sensitivity, as well as become certified as American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Instructors. The second semester focus is to present the information to various groups around the K-State campus.

For more information about SHAPE or becoming a SHAPE peer educator, please visit our website at: www.k-state/lafene/SHAPE or call (785) 532-6595.

Conference Keynote Address by David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General
Office of Public Health and Science

at the American College Health Association 2000 Annual Meeting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Wednesday, May 31, 2000

The Surgeon General on responsible sexual behavior...

"Americans have traditionally had a lot of trouble talking about sex, except in dark corners or vacant buildings, and that ought to change. We have said that sex education ought to be taught not only in schools but also in homes and in churches and everywhere else that people congregate to talk. They ought to talk about sex, the beauty of sex, the wonder of sex—also, the responsibility of sex. Sex is about meaningful relationships."

"... relationships should not begin with sex. They ought to begin with communication, understanding, appreciation, respect. And sex ought to occur in the context of a meaningful committed relationship. That's the message."

"Now, there are some people who disagree with me. They don't think I've gone far enough. But the message is that sex is special. It's beautiful. It ought to take place in the context of a meaningful committed relationship; otherwise, it's cheapened. That's the message. There are a lot of adults who never learn that message, but it would be great if our young people did."

Read The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior - June 2001