High school for some can be a place where expressing who they really are and who they love, though it is filtered due to the fear of judgement. Students in high school are known to cast a shadow over the topic of sex and dating. With that, we asked students where they can gain their sex and dating advice/help.

When asked about where sophomore Devin Larson gets most of his sex and dating advice, he said, “I go to my friends and family for help and I can never find it at VHS.” Like Larson, senior Bennett Cvijanovich also felt as if Ventura High School has little to no advice for subjects such as these. Cvijanovich stated, “Sometimes I’ll go to my friends but if anything, I’ll talk to other girls about it.”

Although many students like Larson and Cvijanovich feel lost with where to go for help. It is paramount to note that most of students questions about this topic can be found here on campus. The room students can most definitely run to for a start on this topic would be in room 40 with Bobbie Richards. In room 40 you can also find a yellow pamphlet which is labeled as the ‘Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center.’ In this pamphlet loaded with information there is a section which is titled ‘counseling’ and under this it is includes various numbers for students and or parents to call for this type of subject.

As well as room 40, there are also local health centers for students under 18 and it is very important that students know where to find these health centers. There are a few local health centers in Ventura, including the one on Ralston St., which is the Planned Parenthood. They also have a website where students can learn about things such as pregnancy and sex and relationships.

It is evident that students feel lost when it comes to dating and sex advice. According to The Cougar Press Sex and Dating Survey, 140 students stated that they have not received sufficient sexual education which is something Ventura High School students, parents and most importantly faculty should pay a little more attention to.

After asking students around VHS where they received the most beneficial advice, it was not shocking to hear the numerous amount of responses that involved friends and family. Although sex and dating can be very touchy subject for some, school should be a place where students have at least one or a couple of teachers and or counselors that they can speak to about this topic.

Ventura High School counselors and teachers are constantly doing their job by checking up on their students and making sure they are on the right track, but something VHS seems to lack is relationship building with the students because it is evident that most students talk to those that they are close to for sex and dating advice. If a student was close enough with a teacher or counselor, the conversation of this topic would flow better.