PCOS Awareness: Helping High School Students Understand Their Health

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, is a common condition that can begin during the teenage years. Yet many high school students know very little about it.

That is why our team — Rhea Yadav, Rishita Kakadiya, and Ananya Pitta — created a health education lesson focused on helping students ages 14–18 better understand PCOS, recognize possible warning signs, and feel more comfortable talking about reproductive health.

PCOS can cause symptoms such as irregular periods, severe acne, unexplained weight changes, and other hormonal changes. Because some of these symptoms may be dismissed as “normal teenage problems,” diagnosis can sometimes be delayed. Our goal was to provide accurate, age-appropriate information so students could better understand the condition and know when it may be important to seek support.

Why This Topic Matters

Our lesson focused on awareness, early recognition, and reducing stigma.

PCOS affects many females of reproductive age, and symptoms can begin during adolescence. Without proper education, students may not realize that certain symptoms could be connected to a larger health issue.

We wanted students to understand that PCOS is not something to be embarrassed about. It is a medical condition that can affect physical health, emotional wellbeing, and long-term health.

The goal was not to diagnose anyone. It was to give students reliable information and encourage them to speak with a trusted adult or healthcare professional if they have concerns.

Making the Lesson Interactive

We did not want the lesson to feel like a long lecture.

We began with a true-or-false pre-assessment to see what students already knew and identify common misconceptions. We then used a visual presentation to explain PCOS symptoms, possible causes, health effects, and management strategies.

After learning the basics, students worked through realistic scenarios and discussed what they might do in each situation. This gave them the opportunity to apply what they had learned instead of simply memorizing facts.

We also used a Google Forms exit ticket to measure understanding and a Padlet reflection board where students could share what they learned. At the end, students received additional resources for continued learning.

Our Approach to Teaching

We designed the lesson to move students from basic understanding to real-world application.

Using Webb’s Depth of Knowledge framework, we first introduced the key information and then gave students opportunities to think more deeply about it through discussion and scenarios.

The lesson combined direct instruction, group activities, technology, and reflection.

Our goal was to create an environment where students could learn about a serious health topic in a way that felt understandable, relevant, and comfortable.

Working as a Team

Each member of our team contributed to the project in a different way.

Ananya focused on researching medical information from sources such as the NIH, Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic. She also helped develop the instructional slides and worked to make sure the information was accurate and appropriate for high school students.

Rhea focused on the lesson structure and instructional design. She developed the pre-assessment, helped create the scenario activities, and guided the interactive portions of the lesson.

Rishita focused on assessment and evaluation. She created the Google Forms exit ticket, organized the Padlet reflection board, and helped analyze student feedback.

Although we had different responsibilities, the project was collaborative. We reviewed materials together, practiced the presentation, and worked to make sure the lesson felt consistent from beginning to end.

Did Students Learn?

To understand whether our lesson was effective, we used several different evaluation methods.

The pre-assessment helped us understand students’ knowledge before the lesson. The exit ticket allowed us to see what they understood afterward.

Students showed stronger understanding of important concepts, including hormonal imbalance in PCOS, possible long-term risks such as type 2 diabetes, and the fact that PCOS can affect teenagers.

The Padlet reflections gave us another perspective. Students shared that they learned PCOS is common, that symptoms can look different from person to person, and that the condition can be managed with proper care.

Many students also said the scenario-based activity was especially helpful because it allowed them to apply the information to realistic situations.

What We Learned

This project showed us that health education can be more powerful when students are actively involved.

Instead of simply giving students information, we gave them opportunities to ask questions, discuss situations, reflect, and apply what they learned.

PCOS education is important because awareness can help reduce confusion and stigma around reproductive health.

By starting these conversations earlier, we hope students can feel more informed, more confident asking questions, and more comfortable seeking support when they need it.

For us, the project was about more than teaching one lesson.

It was about helping students understand their health and reminding them that asking questions about their bodies should never be something they feel embarrassed about.