Peer Group Connection Student Leadership Summit

School District of Philadelphia, PA

The School District of Philadelphia and CSS partnered to host an extraordinary gathering of Peer Group Connection (PGC) peer leaders from middle and high schools that offer the program.

On May 23, CSS-trained PGC faculty advisors and their student peer leaders converged for the highly anticipated PGC Peer Leader Summit, an event dedicated to leadership development, community building, and personal growth.

The summit kicked off with PGC peer leaders from Constitution High School welcoming the group followed by inspiring remarks from Superintendent Tony Watlington and CSS CEO Dr. Jonathan Mathis, who encouraged attendees to embrace their roles as change-makers within their schools and the larger Philadelphia community. Participants then engaged in a series of activities facilitated by the peer leaders themselves, fostering a sense of camaraderie among the attendees. 

As the students returned to their respective schools, they carried with them new skills, insights, and a renewed commitment to making a difference.

Represented schools included:

• Benjamin B. Comegys School
• Constitution High School
• Franklin S. Edmonds Elementary School
• George Washington High School
• High School of the Future
• Julia De Burgos Elementary School
• Martin Luther King Jr. High School
• Northeast High School
• Parkway Center City Middle College
• The U School
• Thomas Edison High School
• W. D. Kelley School

29th Annual Teen PEP

Day of Learning

Rider University, NJ

On May 16, CSS hosted our 29th Annual Teen Prevention Education Program (Teen PEP) Day of Learning Conference, a powerful day where trained junior and senior peer educators from our veteran schools take the lead, guiding upcoming leaders from new Teen PEP schools on how to deliver effective outreach workshops to their younger peers.

Teen PEP workshops combine skits and small group activities to cover a wide range of health topics. Older students, who have undergone extensive training, both modeled and shared their knowledge and experiences, providing insights into how to connect with younger audiences in a meaningful way. These peer-led sessions are crucial in fostering a supportive and informed community, where students feel empowered to discuss and promote sexual health education.

By participating in this conference, incoming students will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to lead their own outreaches, ensuring that the next generation of students benefits from comprehensive and accessible sexual health education.

We are grateful to our presenting schools:

• Franklin High School (Franklin, NJ)
• Hightstown High School (Hightstown, NJ)
• Kearny High School (Kearny, NJ)