Scenarios USA began in 1999, with pilot programs in two classrooms, one in south Texas and one in NYC. In six short years, the Scenarios USA films – now numbering 12 – are used in every NYC high school as well as in hundreds of schools and community groups nationwide. In NYC, the Department of Education [DOE] is currently involved in a number of critical health education projects, among them: developing a city-wide Health Education Curriculum and updating the current HIV/AIDS curriculum. The Scenarios USA films are used as a resource in that Curriculum.

To kick-off the distribution of the films in the NYC schools, Scenarios USA held back-to-back free screenings of its newest What's the Real Deal? films: All Falls Down, Toothpaste, and A Memoir to My Former Self.

Representing Scenarios USA's broad coalition of partners, each of the screenings brought together nearly 100 people with diverse perspectives on sexual health education in NYC schools. We were thrilled that, among others, Dr. Roger Platt, DOE Director of the Office of School Health; Medea McEvoy, DOE Director of the Department of Literacy; Betty Rothbart, DOE Prevention & Intervention Services Administrator; and Fred Kaeser, DOE Director of the Health Education Unit, were able to join us at the screening.

Kaeser welcomed attendees at the first screening and discussed the urgency of effectively addressing sexual health education in our schools. He noted the positive impact that Scenarios USA films have on teen viewers and, on behalf of the Office of School Health, generously offered to purchase the Scenarios USA films for interested NYC teachers.

At the end of the first screening, David Koepp (Secret Window), director of the NYC Scenarios film All Falls Down, highlighted the power of youths' voices when he said, "Although at times in our careers we've all felt like we're working with teenagers, the actual experience of working with teenagers was just terrific – their commitment, honesty, and enthusiasm were eye-opening for me."

The excitement and acclaim that the films generated amongst people at the screenings, many of them students, was a testament to why Scenarios USA uses media to address health issues. Scenarios recognizes that media is the language of today's youth. Through film, The Real Deal contest winners write stories that depict teens and their lives as they really are, which is in sharp contrast to what is often seen on television and in the movie theatres.

We believe that a new approach to health education must aim to teach students to understand that health issues are tied into everyday life choices and realities. The Scenarios USA films, written by teens, show youths making critical health decisions in classroom debates, at the lunch table, on their daily commutes and at parties. Through our screenings, our films, and the What's the Real Deal? writing contest, Scenarios USA continues its work to foster cross-curricula health education, so that health education becomes a part of everyday education.

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The newest Scenarios USA films can now be viewed on our website! Click here to view and find out more about the films. You can also view "Behind the Scenes" documentaries on each film, featuring the films' youth writers, actors and directors.

You can order the three new films on DVD or VHS by clicking here or clicking on the "Shop" link at the top of our homepage.