“Admiring Our Adolescence”

Admirando Nuestra Adolesencia (ANA) is the area’s first bicultural after school pregnancy prevention program specifically targeting Latina youth in southern Chester County. ANA is a unique program that teaches young girls about sexuality in a way that is effective and respectful of their Latina culture.

The primary goal of the ANA program is to provide teens with accurate information on pregnancy prevention and sexual health while encouraging the development of leadership skills, a positive self-image, and cultural pride. The program continues to develop each year in response to the growing demand for prevention education among Latinas.

Entering its fifth year, ANA has grown to include two groups of students, one group of fourth and fifth-grade girls from the Girl Scouts of Freedom Valley and one group of ninth and tenth-grade girls from Kennett Area High Schools. Approximately 30 girls participate each year.

What We Talk About

Each group meets for about two hours a week throughout the school year. Though some topics vary depending on the age of the group, all ANA girls discuss things like:

• self-esteem
• college and careers
• body image
• communication skills
• healthy relationships
• risks associated with tobacco and substance abuse

While the older group of ANA girls talk about:

• gang and dating violence
• sexuality
• contraception
• pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections

The younger ANA girls cover:

• puberty
• hygiene
• body changes

Questions about the ANA program? Know someone who might be interested in participating? Contact our Education Department at ppchestercty.edu@ppccpa.org.