Scott Fried . Opinions

Student Evaluation of
Scott Fried
Shrewsbury High School
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Do you feel the assembly has value for the students of Shrewsbury High? If yes, why?

"I could look into his eyes."

"It taught us kids what can happen if you don't speak out and only do what you want to do."

"It served to open people's minds and not be so ignorant about AIDS."

"It attempts to get students to value their lives more. That is a plus."

"It was easier to learn and hear about these issues from somebody who has gone through it rather than books or teachers who don't know everything."

"It gave us the chance to really ask personal questions, so we learned more."

"It opens people's eyes to reality. High schoolers need that; we think we're invisible."

"He made us feel important. He wasn't lecturing us; he talked to us."

"It showed how important it is to listen to yourself and do what you know is right."

"It gave out a lot of positive things as well as not so positive. The not so positive things were said so we could avoid them."

"It is the issue we face every day."

"There should have been more younger students."

"I found it very inspirational. You can apply what he said to more than just AIDS."

"I think that kids need to hear what goes on in the real world-we are very much a part of it."

"The assembly made me see how precious life really is. He's a touching speaker."

"It makes students think about the emotional side of deciding at a crucial moment to use necessary precautions."

"It makes teens more aware of the consequences of not just intercourse and injections, but life itself."

"He is an extremely powerful, expressive and emotional speaker who teaches teenagers to value their lives."

"Students of this school may relate to Scott's troubles dealing with pressure and growing up. "

"It teaches kids head on what life is like as person living with HIV and how bad choices can lead to bad consequences. He helps kids know they have value and are important."

"We are relatively sheltered. It's good for the students to hear something like this."

"I think the assembly connected all of us by relating to all of us in one way or another."

"He put in on a more teenage level."

"His talk made me realize I need to speak my mind and definitely made AIDS more "real" issue."

"It educated the students more than health class would do."

"Although our school is an AIDS-aware community, I thought the attitude of acceptance of the gay lifestyle was very valuable and much needed."

"I think people listening to a person with HIV will help them have safe sex."

"It gave me hope."

What was the most interesting and informative part of this presentation?

"The slide show of his friends that died of AIDS was very touching. It got you thinking about how he really is just like us."

"The question/answer period afterwards. He shared a few stories with us that he said he never told before."

"The best part was talking to him myself during our class time with him."

"The truth that abstinence, although presented by parents and teachers as the best solution, doesn't work for everyone."

"That everyone is sacred and that you're important enough to say "no" to unprotected sex."

"Just the fact that he is still alive and very healthy. That's what I found so amazing."

"The way he applied his experience to our lives."

"When he talked about the four fluids that transfer the virus."

"I liked when he shared his deep dark secrets with us because he was trusting us with stories that he has experienced."

"That Scott was so willing to be painfully honest with a room full of perfect strangers."

"When he talked about his inner voice and how he ignored his and how we all have one."

"Everything, but especially where he compared AIDS with values."

"How one mistake changed everything."

"His life before and after HIV and how he looked at life differently after."

"When he talked about how all of us can connect with him although we don't have the disease."

"That you shouldn't be ignorant and think that only gay males can contract HIV."

"His pain really touched me."

"He told us that life is precious. It was brave of him to accept this disease and use it as a way to make his life better."

"How he's continuing on with his life."

"That you as a person are important. You are sacred."

What part of the presentation could be improved?

"Allowing him to speak for a longer period of time. He had an enormous amount of information to share with everyone."

"I think the presentation could have been longer. Once we started to understand his situation it was time to leave."

"I think we should have had more time just to get know each other, open up and share stuff."

"I think the amount of people in the assembly could have been larger. More people should have seen this."

Were any of your views on gay and/or HIV/AIDS issues changed by this presentation?

"No, because I learned before from other friends that being homosexual does not change a person."

"No, it must suck to have AIDS, but sexual preference is nobody's business."

"No, it simply reinforced my views that there is nothing wrong with being gay."

"It has made me s"tronger in my beliefs that we are all equal and should respect one another."

"No, I am fine with homosexuality, but he did make me feel comfortable around people with AIDS."

"I pretty much went into it without an opinion and he was actually really cool. I don't have any strong feelings towards gays or AIDS patients and the speaker just proved to me how strong and the same those people are."

"My views were somewhat limited before this presentation. Now, I feel I'm more educated."

"Yes, because parents and even teachers don't talk about this stuff."

"I learned about how these issues connect with everyday issues of being a teen like insecurity and exploring sexuality."

"Yes, self-respect, strength, acceptance, etc., can all help in the fight against AIDS."

What was one thing you learned from this speaker?

"That you can never say, "It can't happen to me."

"The only one who can make me see I'm "sacred" is myself."

"The large part self-respect plays in one's life."

"That we have to live life to the fullest. "

"To respect myself and protect myself. "

"Self-respect is a powerful tool that can give you the courage to continue facing life and its challenges."

"That it's okay to be confused."

"To not be afraid to say what you feel and believe in."

"That even people living with AIDS see beauty in life."

"That everyone goes through tough problems. No one has a perfect life."

"That no matter what happens, you are who you are and you need to make peace with it."

"I learned that safe sex is more about self-respect than methods of contraception."

"That just because you may be less fortunate you can still impact many people."

"Be careful."

"I learned that being a strong, confident person, and feeling love is the best way to stay healthy."

"Don't risk it, not even once."

"His story is one like I have told -- only with a different ending."

"To try your hardest and be strong."

"That I always have to protect myself by listening to my gut instinct and never allow anyone else to hurt me or take advantage of me."

"I learned about some of the traumas and pains of growing up."

"I learned a lot about life itself."

"I realized furthermore that things should be done today rather than tomorrow."

"He kept relating his HIV to that of similar problems like eating disorders, depression, abuse, etc., and you would never expect anyone with AIDS to relate it to such common problems."

"I learned what AIDS really was, not just a little virus blowing up T-cells, but a real living thing."

"That being scared is OK."

"That everyone lives with AIDS."

"I learned that we all have our separate experiences and problems, but we feel many of the same emotions."

"To love life.