In honor of World AIDS Day, members of the North High School Peer AIDS Awareness Club volunteered and participated in the World AIDS Marathon at the Rockaway Boardwalk on Dec. 1. North High students contributed to this event by assisting with registration, running in the race, cheering on participants, distributing water, and handing out medals at the finish line.
The event included a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon. Race proceeds support local and international projects through the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding for AIDS research and support for patients living with HIV/AIDS and brain cancer. The foundation’s president, Mr. Brodsky, is an HIV/AIDS and brain cancer survivor who has visited North High for the past 17 years to speak with students about making healthy decisions and to share his message of hope, resilience, and courage.
This year marks the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day, which raises awareness about HIV/AIDS and honors the lives affected by the epidemic. The North High Peer AIDS Awareness Club is a student organization that strives to provide basic information about HIV/AIDS, create a support network, and empower their peers to make healthy and responsible decisions. The club advisor is Dr. Anton Berzins, school psychologist.
