By Wendy Greenberg

Although it was during Pride Month when the Municipality of Princeton recognized HiTOPS with a proclamation at the June 12 Council meeting, the organization was lauded for its positive impact on the youth of Princeton all year long.

According to the nonprofit’s mission statement, HiTOPS “fosters strong and healthy young people of all identities by providing inclusive and youth-informed sex education and LGBTQ+ support for young people throughout New Jersey.”

Councilwoman and longtime champion of HiTOPS Eve Niedergang, who presented the proclamation, noted the significant impact HiTOPS has had on the Princeton community. “From their start with Teen Council, a peer sexual health program, to their school-based sex education and teacher training, to their annual Trans Youth Forum, HiTOPS has held youth voice and leadership at the core of their mission,” said Niedergang in a press release. “Plus, they celebrate all things Princeton by hosting the HiTOPS Princeton Half Marathon every November.”

The Half Marathon, which took place November 13, is a popular fundraiser. An upcoming  fundraising event is the Drag High Tea on Sunday, June 25 at Tipple and Rose Tea Parlor and Apothecary, 210 Nassau Street. Visit hitops.org for more information.

While the Half Marathon, and also co-sponsoring the Princeton Community Pride Picnic, which was June 3, may be among the most visible events for HiTOPS, the organization works behind the scenes throughout the year.

Executive Director Lisa Shelby said the organization is the only one of its kind in New Jersey, and evolved in the 1980s from a birthing organization called Family Born. “The nurses recognized the need for a program for youth,” said Shelby. HiTOPS is an acronym for “Healthy Interested Teens Own Program on Sexuality.”

Today HiTOPS has four support groups, based on age and needs, and a support group for parents as well. There is an after-school drop-in center for socialization; The Closet — a free resource for identity-affirming clothing and self-care items; and a lending library including works with “queer themes, so young people can see representation in books,” said Shelby. The group also offers an annual Trans Youth Forum, which was online March 25. 

HiTOPS also works with schools and school districts based in Mercer County. ABCs — Affirming Our Youth, Building a Foundation, Communities Working Together, is HiTOPS signature sexual health education program, offering classes for grades 2-12 and training for educators, administrators, parents, and guardians. “We help the districts build affirming environments, and educate them on what it means to be an affirming environment, to lay that foundation, with support resources and coaching,” said Shelby.

Shelby acknowledged the “tremendous opposition” around the country now, but noted that the New Jersey Department of Education updated its sex education standards in 2019 to reflect best practices and the national standards, and includes learning outcomes for K-12th graders. Shelby added that the diversity, equity, and inclusion mandate for K-12 stipulates that the contributions of LGBTQ+ persons, and also those with disabilities, be “spiraled“ throughout the curriculum. “Many schools are looking for help,” she said.

HiTOPS also runs professional development for corporate settings. “Most adults want to provide support for young people,” said Shelby. “Those who grew up in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s may need to think differently — there has been quite a shift.” But the group meets people where they are, “so they feel informed and comfortable.”

The organization is very much in the community, she said, with an office on Witherspoon Street. “It is always important for people to know that we are here to empower youth, and create an affirming environment.”

HiTOPS is appreciated by the youths and families who participate in its programs. One such thank-you shared by Shelby: “I feel really lucky that I have a place where I can talk to open-minded people and not be judged.”

And HiTOPS appreciates Council’s recognition. “This honor comes at an important time for LGBTQ+ young folks — Pride Month” said Shelby. “June is the month when we amplify our year-round celebration of youth for who they are and who they want to be. This is especially important now as queer youth, their families, schools, and libraries are facing a surge of opposition, fear, and hostility. This proclamation lets folks know that Princeton is an affirming community where people of all identities belong.”