Diverse - September 8, 2010
Diverse
Reading, PA resident, Kelly Lopez said a 1980s sitcom was one of her main reasons for choosing Temple. "I grew up in the time of The Cosby Show. Bill Cosby is Temple. He had all this passion for Temple," said Lopez, who moved to Reading from Puerto Rico at age 3. "Temple was the only school for me." Lopez credits Temple with allowing her to create Chicas in Charge, a five-week program in Reading that helps Latina girls ages 14 to 17 learn about preventing sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy. "Kelly was all about going back to the community to help," said professor Sylvia Twersky-Bumgardner, who taught the program planning class. "Her life was affected by teen pregnancy and how it affects her community. She is going to be a perfect public health official."