By Lynne Klaft CORRESPONDENT
Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Sunday, July 27, 2008 — Startling statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: One out of four new cases of HIV transmission is a teenager, and every hour two teens are infected.
"And these figures are based on reported cases which number about 10,000 a year, but does not include the numbers of teens who are never tested," said John Chittick of the Teen AIDS-Peer Corps, based in Fitchburg.
Although teen pregnancy rates are decreasing, sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in that population, according to Mr. Chittick.
"Teens are very sexually active; sex is happening without protection," he said.
The Peer Corps is dedicated to providing quality education in schools and on the streets to teens by teens about prevention methods.
"Due to budget cuts, educational programs about HIV transmission in schools are almost nonexistent today. Teenagers are lucky to get one or two hours of instruction about HIV transmission in their four years of health education," Mr. Chittick said.
"We are cutting back on instruction, and it is killing teens every day," said Mr. Chittick, who, for the last 15 years, has committed to the cause as a volunteer.
The Peer Corps received funding from a grant from Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund, a cable industry consortium, to film a public service announcement aimed at teenagers to raise awareness of the disease.
Teenage volunteers from the Upward Bound summer program at Fitchburg State College are featured in the 30-second ad, which was produced, directed, filmed and edited by Fitchburg State College students Mark Grassia, David Morgan and a small crew of lighting and sound students.
Four teenagers — two girls and two boys — gave their views on HIV transmission during breaks in the filming.
"I don't know a whole lot, that's why I am doing this. I found out that one out of four girls has a sexually transmitted disease, and that's kind of scary," said 15-year-old Vanessa Sanchez of Leominster.
"It starts off with HIV and you don't know you have it; people pass it on and some don't even care even though they know they are passing it," said Kayla Lea, 18, of Fitchburg.
Sixteen-year-old Joe Cruz of Leominster said he treated his girlfriend with respect and would not pressure her into doing anything she didn't want to do.
John Cotto, 16, of Fitchburg admitted that he didn't know much about HIV.
"You just don't sleep with people you don't know," Kayla told John.
One of Vanessa's friends has a relative who has contracted AIDS.
"She's dying and my friend is really upset about it. If I had to tell kids one thing, that would be to be careful, do what you can to be safe, there's no cure," Vanessa said.
The public service announcement filmed last week will be carried nationwide by most of the major cable systems from September through World AIDS Day, on Dec. 1.
The grant also will cover part of the cost of Teen AIDS' annual World AIDS Day webcast, which will originate from sub-equatorial Africa.
The film, "Dance Party," was conceived by Montachusett area students at a Teen AIDS conference at Harvard University in December and highlights the silently spreading epidemic.
"The kids are dancing, and some begin to fall to the floor, but others keep on dancing until the DJ falls on the turnstile and the music stops, then the remaining teens are shocked to see their fallen partners," Mr. Chittick said of the script.
The ad will be narrated by Fitchburg High School senior Zach Bronson of Leominster, who says, "Teens must tell their friends about AIDS before it is too late. Together we can save lives."
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