Information concerning sex, drugs or mental health on a college campus is bound to get twisted. But an ISU program, the Students to Students Peer Educator Program, is working to bring awareness and truth to health myths and issues.

Anyone can participate in S2S, whether for class credit or simply as an opportunity to volunteer. Ray Rodriguez, health promotion coordinator for the Thielen Health Center and S2S advisor, said the program has been at ISU since the late 1980s.

“We don’t require students have a health background,” Rodriguez said. “We view this as a leadership opportunity for students.”

Students with majors as diverse as forestry, marketing and design have participated in the program. Rodriguez said a benefit of not having a health background is that it can provide a break from your classes.

In honor of spring break next week, the group has appeared at locations across campus for its Safe Spring Break Week. Safe Sex Week and Stress-free Jamboree are other events S2S host.

S2S consists of peer education programs on topics such as sexual health, alcohol and tobacco, as well as a stress management and mental health program. Prospective students rank the programs according to which they would like to do most.

“It’s a matter of finding a fit that makes sense,” Rodriguez said. “Almost all students receive their first choice.”

Each program meets once a week for an hour and a half to two hours. Core training takes place twice a semester over a period of two days. Students must give two presentations a semester, and help out with a couple of events. Students are also required to serve with the organization for at least a year once they join.

“We don’t use the word ‘mentor’ or ‘counselor,'” Rodriguez said. “We’re working with peers.”

Ashley Hunter, junior in health and human performance, joined S2S after hearing about it in class, and feels the experience will be helpful in preparation for a career in hospital administration.

“You can really tell in your presentations how you’ve helped someone,” Hunter said.

Hunter is also the president of the Student Health Advisory Committee, which sponsors S2S.

Rodriguez said the biggest impact S2S makes is thorough changes in the campus community and that one of the reasons for its success is because the message comes from students.

“The amount of misinformation on campus is huge,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said one example of a myth is that some see getting drunk on weekends as a stress reliever. The alcohol, tobacco and other drugs group works to help inform students of that untruthful information.

Joseph Nelson,freshman in psychology, feels his involvement in the sexual health group will help with his goal of becoming a sex therapist.

Nelson said he has been able to correct peers’ false information about sex ,and that he’s been called “the condom guy” because he is often at Free Condom Wednesday.