In preparation for Valentine's day, 150 members of the Connecticut YOUTH Forum recently gathered together discuss the trials and tribulations of "Love, Sex, Dating, and Relationships." Students from 17 different greater Hartford high schools arrived at Lyman Memorial High School prepared to discuss the sometimes touchy topic.

There was a large spectrum of opinions and experiences. One girl stated, "You don't need love to have sex. It's better with out it," while another disagreed and said she would wait until marriage. Brian from Hartford said he thought sex was overrated while two other boys were virgins, but not by choice. The general consensus though was that relationships are more important than sex.

One word that caught the attention of the group was "Breezy." While many students didn't know what it meant, others were sure, though their definitions varied widely. From a girl who was beautiful to look at, to a "friend with benefits," the discussion about the word showed that teens still had many unanswered questions for each other about what a relationship was.

The conversation also moved into the topic of teen dating violence. As one girl put it, "They say once a cheater, always a cheater, it's the same for abuse, if he hit once, he will hit again." Many students agreed that if someone is in an abusive relationship they need to get out of it now.

The Connecticut Youth Forum is a program for high school aged youth to come together around issue driven topics to meet and break down racial, cultural and geographic barriers. Meetings are held once a month on a range of topics, which are often cutting edge or controversial, this school year alone they've discussed Body Image, Texting, and Stress. The students come to share their stories, learn from each other, and break down barriers and stereotypes.