Choosing the Best

In their own words: What people involved with Choosing the Best say about our curricula and parent resources—and what they have learned about health, self-esteem, character education, relationship and refusal skills.

» Leaders
» Educators/Teachers
» Students
» Parents

Leaders

“I have reviewed Choosing the Best and believe it to be a well-prepared program that gives young people needed information and helps them build the skills they need for making healthful decisions.”
— William Roper, Former Director, CDC

“I just read ‘The BIG TALK Book’ [parent book]. It says it all and is very readable. I think it is a great contribution to communication between kids and not only parents but also adults and mentors. Congratulations!”
— Joe S. Mcllhaney Jr., M.D.

“‘The BIG TALK Book’ is so clear and so readable...every parent can benefit from learning specific ways to talk to kids about a topic most of us don’t know how to address. I wish I’d had this book when my children were younger.”
— Brett Butler, Former Centerfielder for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets

Educators/Teachers

"I wanted to follow-up and thank you for a wonderful training last week! It was informative and your deliver was phenomenal! I don’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed a training. The curriculum is so engaging that children will actually forget that they are learning. The video clips, the discussions, and the activities convey a message that will resonate with children into their teenage years and even into their adult life. As an adult, the messages were very powerful to me! The curriculum has significant long term value and will help sustain behavioral change past the funding period. I can’t wait to teach the curriculum in October! Thanks again!"
— Teacher, Virginia

"My students LOVED it! They told me they were dying to get to my class to find out what we were gonna be doing that day. I was shocked how interested the kids really were.I had a really great experience teaching it. I wish I could have taught it to all of the students at our school."
— Teacher, Louisiana

“This is the first sex-education program in our district that the kids didn’t make fun of during lunch. Thank you.” 
— Junior high principal, Missouri

"We chose Choosing the Best because it’s state and federally approved for use with grants and all of the information is current and medically accurate. The program is also very thorough and easy to use, practically removing the possibility of errors in presentation.

I would recommend 'Choosing the Best' to anyone wishing to provide abstinence education to youth. We have been using the program for over four years now and have been very pleased. It’s always up to date and the service we’ve received from the company has been excellent."
— Program Coordinator, AZ

"I LOVE the character education that is laced into this program...there is HEAVY emphasis on respecting self and others and having courage to stand up for yourself in uncomfortable situations. It also really stresses the importance of HONESTY (with self and others). I have never covered so many topics in 6 days and the kids love the activities that are built into the program…they are fun and meaningful. (Actually, there are a few activities that the kids beg to do more than once!! They LOVE to hear the opposite gender’s point of view on relationships at this level!!)

It is also cool that the program involves the parents to open up lines of communication with their kids. Each night the kids go home and discuss a few questions from the day’s lesson…MANY kids have come back giggling at how they (the kids) were more comfortable talking about these topics than their parents!! BUT, once the conversations were started, the parents took the opportunity to elaborate and extend the lessons WAY BEYOND what I can get through in class. Ironically, many of the kids had never had these discussions with their parents prior to this unit!! Interesting!"
— Teacher, Wisconsin

"Since teaching Choosing the Best in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades beginning a few years ago, we’ve had only one pregnancy. Choosing the Best covers all the bases a kid needs to make wise choices about sex."
— School Counselor, Kansas

"After incorporating the Choosing the Best series into our middle school and high school, our district has seen a very dramatic decrease in student pregnancy and STD rates. Our teen pregnancy numbers have dropped from 16-19 each semester down to 1-5 over the past four years. Although one is too many as it changes a young girls life forever, the information presented is making a real difference in the lives of our children. Keep up the good work and thank you."
— School Nurse, Mississippi

"We like Choosing the Best because of the grade-appropriate levels within the curriculum as well as the broad focus on communication and other social skills covered by the curriculum
."
— Teacher, Missouri

“I used to not believe teaching abstinence was a viable alternative, but after this training, I totally believe this is the way to educate kids! My own children and I will be having a very interesting discussion tonight.”
— Teacher, Georgia

“I’m so excited about having information that really helps make a difference in these kids’ lives.” 
— Teacher, Texas

Students

“I like the program very much. It’s not often that people talk to teens about sex and I think teens need to learn about the risks. The program made me more confident in the decisions I have made about not having sex.” 
— 10th grader

[I learned] “It is better to stay abstinent than use birth control because you can still get pregnant or get a sexually transmitted disease.” 
— 8th grader

[I learned] “Many STDs can’t be completely stopped by a condom, so using them isn’t necessarily ‘safe sex.’”
— 10th grader

“What I learned is, it is very cool to be a virgin.”
— 7th grader

“No one had ever told me that I was worth waiting for. Thank you for telling us the truth.”
— 9th grader

[I learned] “that it’s all about self-respect and listening to others.” 
— 10th grader

“I now know that sex is serious. Abstinence is a mark of courage, not a sign of wussiness.”
— 10th grader

“I have always believed in abstinence, but now I understand the reasoning behind why it is the better choice.”
— 10th grader

[The most important thing I learned was] “that there are many STDs out there like herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, AIDS and it is not worth it to have sex and die from it.”
— 10th grader

“I now know more about my standards to set when going on a date. I know what rules I have and what I’ll do and what I won’t do.”
— 10th grader

Parents

“I really am excited about this [CTB curricula] program. There are so many mixed messages out there and I am glad this one is in this school—the high school my daughter is going to. My daughter talked highly of this program. Keep up the good work!”
— Parent, Arizona

“I’m your milk-and-cookies after-school mom, but I did not know how to get started on these questions. But your questions [from the parent book] were so easy that now we’ve built a bridge.”
— Parent, Missouri

“The education [from the CTB curricula] provides methods to stop mistakes and slow down the process by empowering kids to help them remember important things.”
— Parent, Arizona

“I learned what the pressures are that teens are facing and the boundaries of where to stop.”
— Parent, Arizona