About YouthAware
About YouthAware: “Make the Youth Aware”
Since 1986, NCTC’s YouthAware program has used transformative theatre to help K-12 students navigate vital issues—including mental health, body image, peer pressure, substance abuse, and LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Theatre as Activism
Created by NCTC Founding Artistic Director Ed Decker during the height of the AIDS epidemic, YouthAware gave voice to Bay Area youth when adults were afraid to talk about the crisis. Partnering with progressive educators and students, NCTC created age-appropriate plays to spark vital discussions.
- Overcoming Resistance: Early performances faced protests, but protective parents intervened to defend their children’s right to learn.
- Real-World Impact: Inspired by the program, students successfully organized to demand HIV testing sites in their own neighborhoods.
Meeting the Moment
As educators saw the power of theatre, they partnered with NCTC to address difficult topics like cultural heritage, faith, the Holocaust, bullying, and school violence. Developed with young people, for young people, these plays give student audiences recognizable characters that inspire empathy, kindness, and community action.
The Impact by the Numbers
- 15,000 to 25,000 students reached annually.
- Currently touring San Francisco, with previous tours throughout the Bay Area and California.
- Nearly 20 original plays developed, including And Then They Came For Me, Cootie Shots, Get Real, Too!, Puppy Mind, and The Inner Circle.
What’s Next?
Post-COVID programming focuses closely on health, wellness, and social-emotional learning for K-3 audiences. With expanded funding, NCTC aims to scale programming back up to middle and high school classrooms. Our newest initiative is hosting pre/post-show workshops to get kids up on their feet and involved in the action!
Want to support YouthAware as an individual or corporate sponsor?
Contact Director of Development Vanessa Ramos to explore your options.
Historical Videos
Health in View (1992), Documentary about NCTC’s ground-breaking HIV/AIDS awareness and education program