Twenty-four Rocky Point High School juniors and seniors participated in the Suffolk County Office of Health Education’s Peer Education Program recently. These students engaged in learning essential skills in healthy assertive communication, response skills and up-stander empathy, contrasting it with bystander apathy. 
The program employed non-theatrical applied improvisation games to help peer educators enhance their listening and connection abilities. After developing these skills, the peer educators entered health classes to present and share their insights, aiming to inspire the creation of more peer educators.
“Given that students often look to their peers for guidance on how to respond in group interactions, peer educators play a crucial role in influencing situations that may involve anxiety, aggression and isolation,” Rocky Point High School social worker Jennifer Zaffino said. “A student who feels empathy from a peer — by being seen and heard — is key to suicide prevention.”
Thank you to the students who were successful in implementing the program into the health classes over the course of two days: Ava Almeida, Brogan Casper, Keegan DeVanzo, Teagan Frenke, Tessa Gernhart, Joanne Jaeger, Kaleigh Moeller and Austin Tappin.