By Victoria Cazares & Adam Bonillas
Project Contact has returned to Pueblo High School.
This service is an outlet to educate students about preventing sexually-transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and to provide knowledge about having safe sex.
Nurse Kate Straub contacted this program to be a part of the Pueblo community as a way to keep our students safe and educated about sex.
“Project Contact is a fantastic!” said Straub. “This service reduces students’ chances of getting pregnant,” said Straub, “as well as keeping them informed about sexually-transmitted diseases.”
Project Contact is part of the Pima County Health Department and is on campus every second and fourth Monday of the month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., located in a large RV in the southwestern part of the campus by the portables.
“Students can freely obtain information and get educated about sex, and so far this service has been a positive experience for students,” Straub said. “Hundreds of students have already taken advantage of Project Contact,” said Straub.
She added that this service provides free and confidential advice to students; contraception, condoms, and STD testing and treatment to all Pueblo students is available.
Students interested in visiting this service can sign up in the nurse’s office; students will be discreetly called out of class whenever the Project Contact RV is on campus.
Straub said, “Nobody is going to know your [students’] business, so there’s no need for anybody to feel embarrassed. Everything is confidential.”
A senior, who wishes anonymity, said she had a “very positive” experience visit to Project Contact.
She said, “These medical professionals were genuinely nice. I learned a lot during my visit and recommend that if students need this kind of advice or help to sign up for this free service.”
Straub said that she is planning to continue this program for as long as she can, labeling it “a great resource” for the Pueblo community.
“For now, Project Contact is here to stay,” she added.
This service is also available at TAPP (Teenage Parent Program) and Tucson High School.
“Project Contact would like to visit other schools—as the service will be available to anywhere if the program is embraced by schools’ administrators and nurses,” Straub said.
“I’m just happy that we are lucky enough to have this service available to our Pueblo community,” she said.