My name is Jes. I am a 16 year old Junior at Patuxent Hish School in Lusby, Maryland. I do not have AIDS or HIV.
The first time I heard about Ryan White was in 1993. I was in fifth grade. I was enrolled in a Fairfax County Public School and Sexual Education (Human Growth and Develpment) was part of the 5th/6th grade curriculum. When we discussed Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS was very breifly touched. It was made clear to us that you could not contract AIDS through casual contact but that didn't stop little sayings from going around.
When the letter was sent home that parents had to sign for the students to be able to take the class, mine didn't hesitate. This was a two week long course. The boys were taught by a male teacher and the girls were taught by a female teacher. There was a more comfortable atmosphere that way.
Anyway, when we were discussing AIDS, we watched a video on Ryan White. It touched me then, and his legacy still touches me now.
I live in a town where there is not a lot to do. A lot of teens my age turn to sex or drugs. I've chosen to refrain from both, having seen the consequences of each. I built this page because I want to touch someone the way Ryan touched me.
If any one person reads this page, and feels a sense of change within them, then my mission is accomplished. If you would like to contact me, click the ribbon to email.