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Rossum, who has appeared in films like "Poseidon," "The Day After Tomorrow," and "Phantom of the Opera," has been named the celebrity ambassador of YouthAIDS and spoke with students about the organization's goals of informing youth about the dangers of the disease and to teach them about preventing it from spreading.
"We're not saying keep your legs crossed until you get married; we're saying be healthy," said Rossum, who joked that like many students in the class, she is only 21 years old.
Rossum was wearing a YouthAIDS shirt designed by Michael Stars.
Celebrities are "very important (because) they can use their platform to spread the word," said Cristina Broker, cause-related marketing coordinator for YouthAIDS. "Kids look to (celebrities) as role models. If I was to get up and talk, they're not going to listen to me."
In addition to promoting YouthAIDS, Rossum also spoke to the students about the YouthAIDS Kick-Me campaign.
On World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, YouthAIDS is encouraging people to wear a kick-me sign that displays a slogan promoting AIDS awareness. Interested participants will be able to download the signs from the YouthAIDS Web site.
Students in the class helped Rossum come up with slogan ideas for the kick-me sign like "40 million - size does matter," "Be positive you're negative" and "A test you don't have to study for."
At the end of her visit, Rossum informed the students that one of the slogans they crafted will be put on a new YouthAIDS flier as well as on the back of a YouthAIDS shirt the organization plans to print specially for them.
The students also received necklaces that YouthAIDS previously sold through Aldo shoe stores to raise money for its ongoing campaign to educate youth about AIDS.
