Trenton Public Library Partners With Planned Parenthood to Educate Teens Through Peer-Led Sessions

Thanks to a partnership with Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey, Trenton’s Public Library has discreetly become a teen education hub. What began as a simple concept to help local kids get accurate information has become a structured, peer-led education program that reaches youth across the region.

Stephanie Hampton, associate for young adult services at the Trenton Public Library, saw a need for reliable sexual health education for city youths three years ago and started the campaign. She simply wanted teens to know about local options and factual information. Hampton believed the library might provide a safe and impartial learning environment in a walkable urban neighborhood.

Hampton learned about Planned Parenthood’s “Spill the T.E.A. (Teen, Education, and Advocacy)” program after contacting their Trenton health center. It trains high school students to become peer educators, allowing them to learn from peers in a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere.

Planned Parenthood officials say the initiative empowers Mercer County students. Selected youth receive leadership training and learn to accurately share sexual and reproductive health information with peers. Presentations cover relationships, media influence, menstruation, and teen dating abuse, all relevant to youth issues.

The Trenton Public Library’s 120 Academy Street young adult lounge hosts these sessions. To guarantee medical accuracy and appropriateness, professional student peer educators and Planned Parenthood staff supervise each presentation. This oversight helps youth and parents trust the program and ensures it meets professional health standards.

Since the library started co-hosting in November 2024, attendance has ranged from 10 to 30 youths per program. Hampton thinks the influence goes beyond attendance despite the small numbers. As disinformation spreads swiftly, she stresses the importance of offering accurate information and services, which can change young people’s lives.

Six lectures on teen health and relationships were held at the library last year. These sessions are in demand because kids need safe places to raise questions and get honest answers without fear or stigma.

Planned Parenthood executives claim the program has impacted Mercer County. Student peer educators in Spill the T.E.A. have met almost 3,000 people through seminars, community partnerships, and in-person and virtual talks since 2022. The nonprofit selects 10 students each year through a rigorous application procedure to join the cohort.

Young people deserve information and skills to protect their health and plan for their futures, according to chief training and community engagement officer Ali Glaser. The nonprofit sees the training as an educational, leadership, and personal growth program, she said.

Plans are underway for a 2025 Trenton Public Library-Planned Parenthood presentation on Thursday, January 15, from 4 to 5 p.m. Library officials said they will offer these seminars as long as there is community demand, and Planned Parenthood aims to expand the program to additional New Jersey counties.

For now, the cooperation shows how local institutions and nonprofits can use education, trust, and student leadership to address community problems.

Sources:
Trenton Public Library
Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey