���� �� medication; and familiarize themselves with the seriousness of contracting such a disease. Navigator not only introduces the various STDs that can be contracted but it tells students that contracting any STD will have physical, emotional, relational, and other negative outcomes. The chapter ends with the story of a mother named Maria and her daughter Sherri. Maria told Sherri when she began to date that she suggested abstinence but if Sherri chose to have sex she should use a condom. Although Maria felt that she was “educated and informed,” she was unaware that condoms would not protect her daughter from STDs like HPV. Sherri contracted HPV, which led to cervical cancer. At age 20, this young woman now faces a full hysterectomy in order to save her life. HPV is the most prevalent STD in the U.S. today and condoms do not stop transmission of the disease. Strength: Resisting Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs Chapter Five helps students resist pressures to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as nonmarital sex. And there’s a connection between these things. Teens who use alcohol are seven times more likely to have sexual intercourse, to have multiple partners, and to get pregnant. The Teacher’s Guide suggests having students practice pressure resistant tactics, which include speaking up, standing up, and walking away. This can help students avoid the “cascading effect” drinking or drugs has on maintaining sexual abstinence. Deciding ahead of time what they will and won’t do and practicing a statement of intent helps students when they find themselves in situations where clear thinking and quick action are crucial. Character: Survival Skills The sixth chapter of Navigator starts with an analogy about character and the survival skills of a high mountain camper. Just as a hiking camper needs to train and bring along good equipment, successful individuals need to choose characteristics that are going to help them develop qualities that will allow them to thrive in the future. Faulty equipment means an unsafe trip, just as character flaws are an impediment to becoming educated, employed, having successful relationships, and leading a meaningful life. The workbook asks the question, “How is building your character prior to marriage like preparing for a mountain hiking trip?” Students are asked what this statement means: “When it comes to character, the most powerful political leader and the poorest person in the world are on a level playing field.” One of the most important lessons a teen can learn is that no matter what people achieve in life, nothing is more important than their personal integrity; their ability to make solid decisions; and their willingness to take appropriate actions. Workbook activities include having students define character qualities and assess their own level of self-control, patience, respect, honesty, loyalty, responsibility, and trustworthiness. Delayed gratification is covered in this chapter and students learn that “sometimes a positive feeling comes after, not before, a positive decision.” Making good decisions is behavior that becomes a habit. A discussion point for students to have with their parents is: “Tell me about a tough decision you made and how it helped to build your character.” Companionship: Developing Relationships The seventh chapter of Navigator helps students understand that “dating” is most often a temporary relationship. It is getting to know another person and become familiar with their values, friends, and family. Sexual intimacy without the commitment of marriage ends up redirecting energy. It actually stifles the development of emotional intimacy, instead of allowing it to either grow or the relationship to end with relative ease because the people aren’t wellsuited to each other. There are many reasons to choose abstinence. It is a decision that should be made before dating — a commitment by both individuals that they will voluntarily do what is best for both of them by setting boundaries, planning ahead, and protecting themselves from the physical and emotional damage caused by sexual activity before marriage. The workbook tells students that when dating relationships end, each person should feel that they left the other person better off than when they began the relationship. They should look back knowing that they treated the other person with “honesty, respect, kindness, and caring.” Destination: Preparing for Marriage and Family Abstinence contributes to both the permanence and faithfulness of marriages. In Chapter Eight, young people learn that those who abstain until marriage have already learned lessons about delayed gratification and faithfulness to their future spouse, which enhances their commitment to that person after marriage. The workbook quotes a young husband who says, “Now that we are married, I can appreciate even more deeply how important it was for us to wait.” He continues, “Not only do I get to share my life with my best friend, but we also share an exclusive bond that brings us closer in every way — emotionally and mentally, as well as physically.” The workbook reiterates that even those who come from homes broken by divorce can learn strategies to help them have a successful marriage. It says that once students understand the importance of their choices regarding tobacco, drugs, and sexual activity, they “can make an informed choice.”
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