Knowledge Empowering Youth (KEY)

Currently, KEY is partnered with both Planned Parenthood of the Greater Memphis region and Choices Reproductive Health center. Both entities help to oversee our efforts and help us to accomplish our mission. Formed in January of 2016, KEY consists of two high school students who create and teach their very own interactive curriculum throughout the Memphis area.

Starting this fall, a series of lessons will be taught at Choices Reproductive Health center. Our topics range from sexual anatomy to body positivity. While our lessons are overseen by professionals, our curriculum is taught from a teen perspective. KEY not only educates youth, but also empowers them to be leaders in their own peer communities. For example, students who show both an interest and commitment to KEY will be selected to become educators, and most importantly leaders among their peers. 

Eventually, we hope to see our program flourish in afterschool programs throughout Shelby County Schools. 

Our community struggles with steep rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies each year. These high rates can be traced back to the lack of access to comprehensive sex  education. As high school students, we also witness first-hand that the sex education accesible to us can be biased, inaccurate, and condecsending. While our program cannot hope to solve all of these problems, we strive to promote a healthy dialogue in our community about the need for sex education as well as educating in an inclusive setting.