In October, the Stoughton High School Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), in partnership with the “Let’s Get to Work” grant, launched a campaign in honor of bullying awareness month. Instead of focusing on ways that students hurt each other, the campaign encouraged students to acknowledge acts of kindness from their peers.
The Take a Stand…Lend a Hand campaign allowed students to anonymously give “shout outs” to peers who have lent a hand or made them feel good about who they are. Shout outs were posted on the banner (pictured below) and students who received shout outs also received T-shirts featuring artwork by Kayla Polizzi, a student at SHS. The GSA encouraged students who received T-shirts to wear them on Friday October 25th as an action in recognition of their kindness.
GSA advisor Sarah Quinn had this to say about the event: “Over the last 2 weeks over 150 students received shout outs for acts of kindness. Most of those students wore matching T-shirts on the 25th. This has been a really positive anti-bullying campaign, and students are genuinely excited to be part of it. Staff members also received t-shirts in recognition of their consistent support of students.”
The “Let’s Get to Work” grant, written by Beth Anderson, promotes job skills and work opportunities for students with disabilities. Kayla’s “peeps” are well known around SHS and are the perfect image to promote acceptance of all students.
Congratulations to Stoughton High School on a fantastic and impactful event! If you would like to see a project your GSA or club created featured as our GSA Spotlight, send an email to Tim at tim@gsafewi.org.
