Although only 17, Radwa is clear she wants to make a big difference in the world. “I’m passionate about our rights! Our human and legal rights should never be denied. Only we can choose for ourselves how to live our lives.” Radwa plans to be a politician and put her radical ideas onto a national platform. Who knows, maybe she’ll even run for President one day. She’d be a great choice! At Sex, Etc. Radwa wants to spread her ideas to other teens, and inspire them to use their voices in favor of comprehensive sex education. During her spare time, Radwa loves to read Harry Potter books, write and surf the Web.

If I can teach teens about their options and give them beneficial advice about sex and related subjects through writing for the magazine, I will be satisfied,” says Ben, a second-year board member of Sex, Etc . Ben wants to reach out to teens who need help in sticky situations and encourage them to rely on the magazine for the facts. Helping people to think things through in order to make the best decisions ranks high on his to-do list. Ben’s an outgoing, funny guy who loves to listen to music, and play poker and hockey. Keeping an open mind and respecting the views of all kinds of people make him a prodigious writer. Ben’s long-term goal is to become a litigation attorney.

Now a senior in high school, Christina is excited about her second and last year with Sex, Etc. Christina hopes to leave behind a legacy of thoughtful work. She is tolerant of all ideas and fair, but not afraid to admit she has a conservative side. Writing for Sex, Etc. has strengthened Christina’s determination to become a political health advocate and journalist. Her goal is to persuade popular magazines and governmental agencies to offer accurate information and national programs on teen-related sexual health issues. Although very busy, Christina enjoys simple things like listening to Rufus Wainwright and Alicia Keys on her iPod.

“My hope in writing for Sex, Etc. is to take the social stigmas away from sexual education,” says Josh, a first-year editor on the Sex, Etc. board. With a Spanish, German, Italian, Indian and black racial and ethnic heritage, Josh can’t help but be open-minded. “I want viewpoints from all different kinds of people to be heard and for teens to know that Sex, Etc. is a refuge from their problems.” He plans to write about eating disorders, heterosexual and gay friendships, dating, pressures from parents and the emotional baggage that comes with having sexual intercourse. Josh loves “thunderstorms in the summer, cantaloupe and black-and-white photography.” If you couldn’t tell, Josh writes poetry and always keeps a journal. His favorite bands include Coldplay, Augustana and Fall Out Boy.  Always dressed to impress, this self-proclaimed “metrosexual” enjoys fashion, too. Josh hopes to attend NYU and become a writer, lawyer or clinical psychologist.

There are teenagers today who care only for themselves and for their own future. Sylvia is not one of them. In her second year as a Sex, Etc. editor, Sylvia plans to “reach out to young girls and let them know they have a choice.” A strong advocate for women’s and teens’ rights, she listens when few others would, and takes pride in working hard to make sure these voices are heard. In her free time, Sylvia plays the drums in her own rock band. She also has aspirations to be a dentist. Sylvia is truly a role model. Her open-mindedness and compassion are attributes that should help her accomplish what she really wants to do: “Just help others.”

Max is opinionated, smart, witty—definitely, a one-of-a-kind. With two years under his belt as a teen editor and writer for Sex, Etc., he believes that “good sex education is a right for all teens,” but worries that not enough teens get involved in politics or their sexuality education. His message to teens: “Get off your couch and get involved! Take responsibility and stand up for better sex ed.” That might sound a little harsh, but it comes from a softhearted and caring place. Max just wants all teens to have a voice and to feel respected so that they can trust themselves to make good decisions in life. Besides writing, Max likes to wrestle and play Ping-Pong, video games and chess. He plans to attend college and become either an engineer or a journalist.

Natasha is a feminist—pure and simple. A soft-spoken, modest person, Natasha’s goal on the Sex, Etc. board is to get the word out to people who don’t have high-quality sex education in their schools, and help them make good decisions about their health. A humorous, sweet person, Natasha brings strong opinions to the editorial board, along with a determination to make the world a better place. She loves to play tennis in her downtime and design beautiful memory books.

Daniela stumbled upon the opportunity to work for Sex, Etc. while on a field trip with her peers in 2004. But, she missed the deadline and was unable to participate in an interview.  Opportunity knocked on Daniela’s door again and now she’s one of the newest additions to the Sex, Etc. editorial board. Daniela plans to pursue a career in journalism and psychology and loves that Sex, Etc. gives her the opportunity to observe the behavior of teens around sexuality. While on the board, Daniela would really like to emphasize more personal, first-person stories to show the intensity of feelings that teens have about sexual issues. Also, don’t be surprised if you see Daniela’s name next to a few designs in the magazine—this girl has a real knack for graphic designing!

Amy believes that teens should have fun, be safe and make smart decisions about sex. While on the editorial board, she plans to write about topics like body image and how to make the right decisions about having sexual intercourse. In her spare time, Amy loves to play lacrosse and field hockey and shop for funky clothes. Her long-term goals include playing lacrosse in college and becoming an ophthalmologist.