Educators throughout the state will gather on October 10 at the Airport Plaza Hotel to discuss the importance of comprehensive healthy sexuality education to youth and how the Hawaii Department of Education and non-profit organizations can collaborate to improve adolescent health. Compliance with the Board of Education's policies and regulations that guide the department's healthy sexuality education will also be highlighted at the conference.

Sponsored by the Hawaii State Department of Education and Hawaii Youth Services Network, the conference will also focus of the importance of science-based approaches to preventing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Data from the 2007 Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior, 2006 Hawaii School Health Profiles and current epidemiological data from the Department of Health, STD/AIDS Prevention Branch will be presented.

Featured speakers include Barbara Huberman and Tom Klaus from Advocates for Youth and Roy Ohye from the Department of Health, STD/AIDS Prevention Branch. Ms. Huberman received the 2008 Mary Lee Tatum Award from Association of Planned Parenthood Leaders and Educators for the individual "who most exemplifies the ideal sexuality educator".

Actors from Kalihi-Palama Health Center will perform the award winning play, It Can Happen to You.

Hawaii ranks 12th in the US in the rate of teenage pregnancies and has the lowest percentage of sexually active youth who use condoms during intercourse.