LHS Gay-Straight
Alliance 'a little family'
BY LINDSAY SAUVAGEAU
CHAMPION STAFF WRITER
From
leominsterchamp.com in the, April 7, 2006 Issue
Editors note: The
members of the Gay-Straight Alliance have asked not to be identified by name.
The Champion has
chosen to honor that request.
Leominster, MA -- Everyone
wants their children to have a place in their lives where they can feel safe and
welcome when they are not home.
With the help of an involved advisor and what is hoped to be the first of many
grants, Leominster High School's Gay-Straight Alliance has begun the difficult
task of becoming one such haven.
"It's been great to be here, be myself and have a safe, contained area where I
can feel at home," explained one sophomore student involved in the club.
"I feel like this is like a little family and I'd like to think the others feel
the same way."
The GSA began taking tentative steps toward establishing itself as a
full-fledged school club in February of 2005, though according to Principal
William Hart, the club has been around since he began at the school six years
ago.
"The strength of the club has gone in cycles," said Hart.
The GSA meets once a week with snacks and plenty of conversation. Meetings
open with business issues and a discussion of upcoming events and activities.
After that students relax and build friendships. Students use the time to
vent and share and make connections with peers, which a few of the students said
is difficult in the large school environment.
One of the club's biggest obstacles recently has been a lack of funding for club
necessities.
"We had no money and it was really hard raising any money ourselves," said club
advisor and school social worker Pamela Carey. But Carey's dedication to
the students and the need to provide a place for teen youths to feel comfortable
sent her searching for a grant that would allow the GSA to blossom.
Carey, with the help of her students, was able to obtain a $550 grant over the
winter from the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.
"I've been witness to a lot of kids coming out, and as one of the school's
social workers it made a difference to me to be able to provide these kids a
place to feel comfortable enough to do that," said Carey.
With a new financial freedom, Carey and her students began working on a mission
statement for the club. In it, the GSA identified its core values as
acceptance and confidentiality in an effort to provide a supportive environment
for "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and straight
youth."
The club's highest hopes are to be able to start eliminating fear of coming out
while in high school.
"[At meetings] nobody asks you what your preference is," said a female
sophomore. "We talk a lot and it's not forcing anyone to be out or talk
about anything they are not comfortable with."
While many of the GSA students said that Leominster High was large enough that a
person could conceivably stay "out" anonymously at school, they agreed that the
overall atmosphere is not one of acceptance. Several students talked about
a girl who attended the school for a year who wore gay paraphernalia and was
very open about herself in school. They recalled the girl was greatly
ridiculed, and if she had been asked how accepting the school was she would have
described it as "unforgiving."
Hart, however, noted that he has never seen anything but support for the club.
"The general population has been very supportive," said Hart. "I've never
heard of any issues. The GSA has run events in the past, which people have
supported."
Hart said the school has been trying hard to personalize the experience of
students at Leominster High, offering them as much general support as is
possible. He said every student has an advisory group, consisting of about
15 students, which meets once a week to discuss student issues. Students
also have a student assistance team they can turn to with problems, as well as a
school-wide team.
As for the GSA, the group's support has given many students an opportunity to be
secure about themselves.
"I wasn't out at all before I began coming to meetings," said one male student.
"I was afraid to be. But now I realize that it doesn't make a difference.
In the group you only have to do what you feel comfortable with, and now I feel
comfortable being myself."
The GSA has secured an informational table at the school's April 11 health fair
to begin spreading awareness about the group. This will be the first of
many events members will take part in now that they have the money for supplies,
t-shirts, transportation and other club expenses
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