THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

The four videos take place at the Roo High School lockers, at a dance, in the cafeteria, and on the drive home from school, all places where teens may be talking with friends and asking questions that Roo can answer.

Roo High School features popular YouTubers Eva Gutowski, the Bell Twins, and James Butler, as well as models and Instagram stars La'Shaunae Steward and Aaron Philip, asking questions that lots of teens have about their bodies, gender identity, sexual orientation, relationships, and how to talk with their parents about sex. Roo is the star of the show and able to answer all their questions, with bonus tips from Planned Parenthood Association of Utah Education Manager Kwamane Harris. The videos are directed by five-time Emmy Award-nominated director Alice Mathias and co-created with ad agency R/GA, and created with input from teens, who appear as part of the cast, to ensure that the questions and content reflect their real-life experiences.

"We're thrilled to introduce Roo High School. We know that teens have lots of questions about their sexual health, and with our friendly chatbot Roo, you'll know you're getting accurate, nonjudgmental information and personalized answers to all your questions," said Ambreen Molitor, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Senior Director, Digital Products Lab. "Planned Parenthood is committed to reaching young people wherever they are with the information they need to stay healthy. No matter where you are, we're here for you."

Roo is the first chatbot of its kind and Planned Parenthood's latest digital innovation in sex education. Young people can ask Roo their burning questions about their health, their body, relationships, consent, or getting care at Planned Parenthood, or choose from a list of questions, and get the answers they need within seconds, day or night. If you need more personalized information, Roo can connect you with a live, trained health educator from our successful Chat/Text program or help you find the nearest Planned Parenthood health center.

"When I was learning about sex, I had to rely on internet search forums to give me the information I needed. This advice was coming from random people all over the world, not a trusted doctor or someone that had my well-being and knowledge in mind," said YouTuber and star of Roo High School Eva Gutowski. "Roo is a friend you can trust that is powered by real Planned Parenthood professionals, so you can always be sure you're getting accurate information."

Planned Parenthood partnered with the experts at Work & Co to develop the chatbot. Since its launch in January, Roo has had over 100,000 conversations with users, the majority of whom are ages 13-19 and people of color. Roo was recently announced as a winner of Fast Company's 2019 World Changing Ideas Awards, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America was named a 2019 Most Innovative Company in Education for providing young people with easy access to sex education tools online.

Roo High School is launching during Sex Ed For All: Youth Power, Information, and Rights Month, a new observance from national sex education advocacy organizations highlighting that all young people deserve sex education. Unfortunately, too many young people still aren't getting any sex education at all, or they're getting ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Roo is another way Planned Parenthood is reaching young people with the accurate information they need to stay healthy.

For over 100 years, Planned Parenthood has helped educate and inform people about their health. We are leading the way in giving you the tools you need to take charge of your health, and we're committed to reaching people wherever they are with the information they need to stay healthy. No matter where you are, we're here for you.

Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.

—From a press release