Breaking the Stigma: Integrating Menstrual Health Education Across Grade Levels
By: Mia of KIS
SDGs: Good health and well being, Gender equality, Reduced inequalities
South Korea’s historical and notable stigma surrounding menstruation has contributed to the broader issue of period poverty, limiting not only access to resources but also access to education, understanding, and support. Through the Social Justice Association (SJA), and the resources given to me in Design Your Impact (DYI), I sought to address this issue by creating initiatives that targeted one of its most significant root causes: the lack of open conversation and education surrounding menstrual health.
After identifying education as the area where I could create the greatest impact, I began working to strengthen menstrual health education within my school community. I developed supplemental resources for our school's sexual education curriculum, expanding the information available to students beyond what was already being taught. These additions included foundational menstrual health knowledge, common misconceptions surrounding periods, menstrual hygiene practices, PCOS, and even specific health issues that come as a result.
While the curriculum integration provided long-term impact, I also wanted to create opportunities for students to engage directly with the topic. During a school-wide service event, I organized a menstrual health awareness station featuring a period simulation machine. Participants experienced simulations designed to replicate menstrual cramps, allowing students and faculty to better understand the physical challenges many individuals experience during their menstrual cycles. The activity quickly became popular, drawing large participation and generating conversations across grade levels and even to teachers (thank you Mr. Roberts!) More importantly, it transformed menstruation from a topic often avoided in conversation into one that students openly discussed, questioned, and sought to better understand.
Recognizing the importance of introducing these conversations earlier, I expanded the Social Justice Association into the middle school division. This new branch was created to encourage younger students to become involved in advocacy while fostering greater awareness surrounding menstrual health and period poverty at an earlier age. One of the middle school branch's most significant projects was an international collaboration with students from Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) in Indonesia. Together, students worked to create and illustrate a children's picture book designed to introduce elementary-aged readers to menstruation in an approachable and age-appropriate way. The project brought together students from different countries and backgrounds who shared a common goal: reducing stigma through education.
Students collaborated on every stage of the process, from developing the storyline and educational content to illustrating pages and refining the final product. The book was intentionally designed to make discussions surrounding menstruation feel accessible and normal rather than embarrassing or uncomfortable. Through engaging characters, simple explanations, and positive messaging, the book encouraged younger students to view menstruation as a natural part of life while promoting empathy and understanding among all readers.
The project also created leadership opportunities for middle school students, allowing them to participate directly in advocacy work rather than simply learning about it. Students contributed ideas, researched information, collaborated with international peers, and saw their work transformed into a tangible educational resource. By involving younger students as creators rather than passive participants, the initiative empowered them to become advocates within their own communities.
Beyond educational programming, the Social Justice Association continued to address the practical realities of period poverty through menstrual product collection and distribution efforts. However, one of the most important lessons I learned through this project was that change requires more than providing resources. While product donations can address immediate needs, education has the power to challenge the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help, discussing menstrual health openly, or recognizing period poverty as a legitimate issue.
The initiative's greatest success was not measured by the number of resources created or events hosted, but by the shift in education Students who had never discussed menstruation openly began asking questions and sharing perspectives. Younger students became advocates and educators themselves. Faculty and students engaged in conversations about menstrual health that extended beyond the classroom. By embedding menstrual health education into existing systems and creating opportunities for continued engagement, the project helped move discussions surrounding menstruation from the margins of school culture into everyday conversation.
Through these efforts, I worked to address period poverty not only as an issue of access, but as an issue of education, awareness, and social stigma. By equipping students with knowledge and creating spaces for meaningful dialogue, the initiative sought to build a school community where menstrual health is understood, supported, and discussed without shame.
After identifying education as the area where I could create the greatest impact, I began working to strengthen menstrual health education within my school community. I developed supplemental resources for our school's sexual education curriculum, expanding the information available to students beyond what was already being taught. These additions included foundational menstrual health knowledge, common misconceptions surrounding periods, menstrual hygiene practices, PCOS, and even specific health issues that come as a result.
While the curriculum integration provided long-term impact, I also wanted to create opportunities for students to engage directly with the topic. During a school-wide service event, I organized a menstrual health awareness station featuring a period simulation machine. Participants experienced simulations designed to replicate menstrual cramps, allowing students and faculty to better understand the physical challenges many individuals experience during their menstrual cycles. The activity quickly became popular, drawing large participation and generating conversations across grade levels and even to teachers (thank you Mr. Roberts!) More importantly, it transformed menstruation from a topic often avoided in conversation into one that students openly discussed, questioned, and sought to better understand.
Recognizing the importance of introducing these conversations earlier, I expanded the Social Justice Association into the middle school division. This new branch was created to encourage younger students to become involved in advocacy while fostering greater awareness surrounding menstrual health and period poverty at an earlier age. One of the middle school branch's most significant projects was an international collaboration with students from Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) in Indonesia. Together, students worked to create and illustrate a children's picture book designed to introduce elementary-aged readers to menstruation in an approachable and age-appropriate way. The project brought together students from different countries and backgrounds who shared a common goal: reducing stigma through education.
Students collaborated on every stage of the process, from developing the storyline and educational content to illustrating pages and refining the final product. The book was intentionally designed to make discussions surrounding menstruation feel accessible and normal rather than embarrassing or uncomfortable. Through engaging characters, simple explanations, and positive messaging, the book encouraged younger students to view menstruation as a natural part of life while promoting empathy and understanding among all readers.
The project also created leadership opportunities for middle school students, allowing them to participate directly in advocacy work rather than simply learning about it. Students contributed ideas, researched information, collaborated with international peers, and saw their work transformed into a tangible educational resource. By involving younger students as creators rather than passive participants, the initiative empowered them to become advocates within their own communities.
Beyond educational programming, the Social Justice Association continued to address the practical realities of period poverty through menstrual product collection and distribution efforts. However, one of the most important lessons I learned through this project was that change requires more than providing resources. While product donations can address immediate needs, education has the power to challenge the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help, discussing menstrual health openly, or recognizing period poverty as a legitimate issue.
The initiative's greatest success was not measured by the number of resources created or events hosted, but by the shift in education Students who had never discussed menstruation openly began asking questions and sharing perspectives. Younger students became advocates and educators themselves. Faculty and students engaged in conversations about menstrual health that extended beyond the classroom. By embedding menstrual health education into existing systems and creating opportunities for continued engagement, the project helped move discussions surrounding menstruation from the margins of school culture into everyday conversation.
Through these efforts, I worked to address period poverty not only as an issue of access, but as an issue of education, awareness, and social stigma. By equipping students with knowledge and creating spaces for meaningful dialogue, the initiative sought to build a school community where menstrual health is understood, supported, and discussed without shame.