**Enrollment is open to 8th, 9th, and 10th graders ONLY. **
Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive sexuality education program that helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. OWL resources are based on the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education produced by the National Guidelines Task Force, a group of leading health, education and sexuality professionals assembled by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. OWL regards parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children. All parents of participants enrolled in this course will be required to attend a parent orientation and an end-of-semester group meeting.
NOTE: TEEN DAY will not require OWL certification for course instruction, though we will prioritize those who have received this training.
(Spring semester ONLY)
Instructor: Regina DeMauro and Audrey McDougal
Instructor Bios: **This class will be co-led for every session.**
Regina DeMauro is the Teen Services Librarian at Tompkins County Public Library where she focuses on collection development, programming, and services to teen patrons. A fan of YA literature, she enjoys speculative fiction, especially fantasy, and has a soft spot for media that features LGBTQIA+ characters as well.
Audrey McDougal is a social worker with over ten years’ experience providing mental health services to youth and families in community settings, with a special passion for Ecotherapy and nature connection practices. In addition, Audrey is an educator and certified OWL instructor with two years’ experience facilitating OWL at the middle and high school levels. After living in California for several years, Audrey recently relocated back to the Finger Lakes with her partner, Jared, and beloved cat, Frankie, to be closer to family. Currently, Audrey works as a Family Consultant for NY FarmNet, serving farmers and their families in the greater Ithaca area.
Required Materials: pencil; notebook and folder or looseleaf notebook
TEEN DAY Ithaca 