Photo by Scott Houston Photography Cydney, 17

“I love that we’re open and honest about sexuality and sexual health,” says 17-year-old Cydney Bain. “Sex is all over the media, but I’ve never seen a show where someone pulled out a condom. It’s hard for teens to make informed decisions about sexuality and sexual health when they’re seeing sexual images, but not being given the facts when it comes to safer sex.” Cydney hopes that the work she does for Sex, Etc. helps teens make decisions that are right for them. Cydney is a “people person,” who enjoys working with her fellow editors on the Sex, Etc. staff. She’s also involved in student government at her school and was elected senate historian for the ’07-’08 school year.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Leora, 16

With a smile and a twinkle in her eye, Leora explains that by giving teens honest, accurate information about their bodies, sexually transmitted diseases, birth control—including abstinence—and sexual orientation, she hopes more teens will be exposed to sex ed that goes beyond abstinence-only education. As a Sex, Etc. teen editor, Leora plans to write about the influence religion has on sexual decisions made by teens. She one day hopes to become a civil rights activist. And though her feet are only a size four, she wants to leave big footprints by having an impact on women’s rights.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Sharanya, 17

Sharanya, 17, is in her second year on the Sex, Etc. staff as a writer and photographer. She joined the staff because she believes “sexual health is really important to people our age, because if we don’t have proper sexual health education, we will be deprived of knowledge.” Her favorite photographer is Annie Leibovitz, and she is currently a member of her school’s National Art Honor Society. Sharanya moved to the United States from Singapore at the age of ten. She has been a vegetarian for three years, serves as editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper and is known as a sexual health resource at her school. She is a self-proclaimed nerd who enjoys Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Allie, 17

Through her work on the Sex, Etc. staff, 17-year-old Allie hopes to help teens by providing them with information about sexual health and answering questions like, “How do I tell my boyfriend I’m not ready for sex?” She is an editor of her school newspaper and enjoys reading as well as creative writing. One of her favorite authors is Jodi Picoult. A senior, Allie plays tennis for her school’s junior varsity team. She loves spending time with her pug, Jack Russell terrier and beagle. She also enjoys classic rock artists, like The Beatles and The Clash.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Kira, 17

By writing for Sex, Etc., Kira, a high-school senior, plans to make sure teens know about all their birth control options, from abstinence to hormonal methods and condoms. When Kira isn’t writing for Sex, Etc., she interviews minor league baseball players for Baseballdigestdaily.com. Kira has been a baseball enthusiast since the age of six, when she was the only girl on an all-boys baseball team. Though minor league baseball is her obsession, her favorite team is the Yankees. Kira hopes to one day become a sportscaster like her idol, Erin Andrews.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Donovan, 17

“People should be educated on sexual health and sexual orientation,” says 17-year-old Donovan. He believes his work with the staff of Sex, Etc. is important, because sex is something everyone eventually has to deal with, whether they choose to have sex or not. “There are teens who don’t understand the consequences of their sexual decisions, and I hope my work with Sex, Etc. helps my peers when it comes to sexual health.” Donovan is the editor-in-chief of his school newspaper.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Erica, 17

Erica hopes she can help Sex, Etc. readers understand their sexuality by writing about her experiences being bisexual. She is upbeat and friendly and comes up with a nickname for everyone she meets. A 17-year-old, self-proclaimed fashion queen, Erica enjoys staring at her 69 pairs of shoes and changing her hairstyle. While Erica is playful and fun, she also enjoys poetry, especially Maya Angelou, and deeply respects the value of friendship.

Photo by Scott Houston Photography Mike, 17

Seventeen-year-old Mike has been working on the Sex, Etc. editorial staff for two years. If Mike were a superhero, his superpower would be educating teens and saving lives with his articles on suicide prevention and the link between sex ed and overpopulation. Music—such as rap and punk rock—gives him the energy he needs to keep making a difference in the world. He boxes twice a week in New York City and volunteers at a camp in upstate New York during the summers. Mike leaps from guitar to microphone in a single bound in his band, Mike and the Jordans. As a leader of tomorrow, Mike says, “I plan to save the day by making soundtracks for movies.”