College Panel at The Carter Center: Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, LSU, Griffith College Dublin, SMU, Spelman, Stanford, Tulane, University of Georgia, University of Oklahoma, University of Rhode Island, University of Texas, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Yale University

n Saturday, December 1, 2007, NSHSS members, families, and teachers from 26 states gathered at The Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, for an inspiring program honoring our scholars and distinguished educators. The program was followed by a college panel and fair with sixteen universities participating. Dr. Michael Lomax, President and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, congratulated and motivated the audience, and NSHSS Chair Claes Nobel delivered the keynote address, inspiring students to accept the challenge of becoming tomorrow's leaders. The theme of the program was "Learn, Lead...Change the World."

To open the program, Loula Davenport of Senator Johnny Isakson's office read a proclamation from Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announcing December 1 as National Society of High School Scholars Day in the State of Georgia. Ms. Davenport also introduced a congratulatory video message from Senator Isakson to NSHSS members. Charlie Harman, representing Senator Saxby Chambliss, read a special congratulatory letter to our members from President Bush. -MORE-

---

In the 10th grade I was a founding member of Crossroads School Teen AIDS Ambassadors. UCLA AIDS Institute trained and certified us to perform peer-to-peer HIV prevention assemblies and class visits at Los Angeles high schools and youth centers.

Our presentations to high school audiences provide information on the biology of HIV/AIDS, the history and impact of the global pandemic, peer-to-peer discussion strategies, available medical treatments, and strategies for fighting stigma.

I have continued this activity through 11th and now 12th grades, and 3,000 teens in Los Angeles have been reached through our initiative. Steve Simon, AIDS Coordinator, City of Los Angeles, stated after attending one of my assemblies: "The Crossroads Teen AIDS Ambassador program reinforced my belief that the hope of curtailing, controlling, then eradicating the HIV epidemic lies in the hands of young people who not only understand it themselves, but can successfully disseminate knowledge among their peers."

I have also traveled to South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya to offer my help to the hordes of people suffering from HIV/AIDS. Under my leadership, our Crossroads team partnered with local African support groups to perform HIV awareness programs for African youth and women in rural and slum environments. In Africa, I organized drama, puppetry, and gymnastics shows in conjunction with HIV testing/counseling, along with symbolic (or public) testing of U.S. teens.
-MORE-



National Headquarters
1936 North Druid Hills Road
Atlanta, GA 30319
editor@nshss.org