Connecticut program links participants with sexual health organization

While many young people spent this past summer at the beach or at the mall, some teenagers were involved in sexual awareness programs that proved beneficial to both themselves and the public.

For instance, a total of 24 Connecticut teenagers who recently participated in this summer's Youth@Work program were paired with the AIDS Interfaith Network. Over the course of five weeks, these individuals promoted the importance of being tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to the New Haven Independent.

While assigned to the awareness organization, program participants stressed the various ways teenagers can protect themselves against STDs, including abstinence and the use of birth control, such as condoms.

In addition to safe sex practices, teenagers who participated in the program educated the public about several types of STDs, including HIV, chlamydia, herpes and AIDS, the news source reports.

It is hoped that similar programs will continue to educate teenagers and young adults, who are one of the largest at-risk populations in the U.S. Each year, some 19 million new STD cases are reported, and approximately half of the diagnosed individuals are aged 13 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.