Although he has been nurtured by love and support at home and enjoys success at school, Oppenheimer has watched many friends grow up under starkly different circumstances. At times, his own good fortune can feel almost embarrassing. But what drives his activism are the friends he cares about. It s all built around relationships, he says. He knows a classmate whose parents do drugs at home, right in front of their son.
Guys brag about it.
He s become a peer counselor for Planned Parenthood because he thinks guys need to be more involved in pregnancy prevention. On weekends, he sees kids chugging beer at parties or cruising a popular loop downtown because they say there s nothing to do. They don t realize there are other ways to have fun. Although he doesn t use drugs or alcohol himself, Oppenheimer still enjoys parties. Although he can seem wise beyond his years, Oppenheimer doesn t claim to know all the answers.