We are excited to have the return of Our Whole Lives for the 2022-23 year. Middle school this fall and elementary offerings beginning in January. What is OWL? Our Whole Lives (OWL) is the Unitarian Universalist comprehensive sexuality education curriculum for all stages of life, from Kindergarten to Adult. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, OWL provides medically accurate facts about anatomy, human development, and sexual health. OWL puts sexuality in the context of values and personal responsibility, supports healthy decision-making, and strengthens interpersonal and healthy relationship skills such as consent and communication. OWL is a vital part of programming for families with children at our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Parents are children’s primary teachers, but what is society teaching our children about sexuality? Our Whole Lives is an antidote to sexualized media messages, peer pressure, misinformation, and prejudice. Through an award-winning curriculum, OWL provides accurate, age-appropriate information, puts sexuality in the context of values and personal responsibility, supports healthy decision-making, and strengthens social skills. These skills and values help prepare youth to make healthy choices for life. OWL models and teaches caring, compassion, respect, and justice. Our Whole Lives (OWL) values: Self Worth Sexual Health Responsibility Justice and Inclusivity. The largest component of this life-long curriculum is for the youth in grades 7 to 9. It helps adolescents address their attitudes, values, and feelings about themselves, their sexuality, and others’ sexuality. Participants are guided by trained facilitators through an engaging curriculum that addresses topics most important to young adolescents, including those typically excluded from sexuality education and health classes.   This offering is a unique opportunity for adolescents to get . honest, helpful, comprehensive information about sexuality . an intimate class with builds confidentiality and trust . encouragement to ask questions and have discussions . trained facilitators providing interactive, fun, techniques to engage with content. When will OWL Happen? Our sessions for grades 7-9 will begin in October. The group will meet at the Fellowship usually 3-4 times per month, on Sunday evenings. There are 19 Sunday sessions and two all-day workshops on a Saturday in December and another in the spring. A syllabus/calendar is available at UUFWC.org. – Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators Small Group Ministry will be from mid-October to April on selected weeks (12 sessions) – The sessions for 1st and 2nd graders and 5th and 6th graders will begin in January and run into March or April on Sunday afternoons.   Is OWL limited to those who attend UUFWC? No! We believe strongly that this critical information should be made available to youth wanting to attend! This is however a ministry of this UU congregation and will be presented through that lens of UUism. Registration will be open to current fellowship attendees first and will then be open to the community. There is a maximum group size.   What if we are just hearing about Our Whole Lives for the first time and need more information? Please reach out to Jenni Papp for a conversation first and plan to attend the parent orientations on October 2th & 9th. We would LOVE to talk to you and answer any questions you might have! – Proposed Calendar for 7th-9th Grade Our Whole Lives and the Caregiver Small Group Ministry – Read more about the OWL Program at https://www.uua.org/re/owl   Please indicate you interest by registering you child now. Space is limited to allow for the best group learning experience. Registration will be open to those outside the Fellowship on September 11 if there is still space available. Tuition for UUFWC members is $75 for OWL 7-9 and $30 for the Elementary OWL. For non-members it is $100 for OWL 7-9 and $40 for Elementary OWL. Scholarships are available by contacting Rev. Walter at rev@uufwc.org or Jenni at dre@uufwc.org   Visit UUFWC.org to register your child for OWL this year.   Who facilitates Our Whole Lives? Jon Sprunger, Jessica Eikleberry, Adam Keating, and Jo Harper will facilitate the 7th to 9th grade group. Facilitators attend training required by the UUA specifically about facilitating the OWL material. If you would like more information about the class, to view the curriculum or ask any questions, please contact Jenni Papp at dre@uufwc.org or Jessica Eikleberry at ymc@uufwc.org