Change The World To Change Yourself
Entry posted by Arch-Angel
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The GSA stands for the Gay/Straight Alliance. Recently, I have joined my school's GSA. Not due to my political opinion on gay rights or anything pertaining to my sexual orientation.
I think I realized what I want to in life the most.
I think I want, more than anything, is to fight for equal rights. Whatever one's political opinion may be.
So, since the GSA at my school is large in size but small in... doing anything, I decided to take an initiative and get started on something called, "The Dream Project". The idea of the project is to spread the message of Anti-Bullying and Suicide Prevention. Letting kids know there are proper adults ready, willing and able to talk to you if you ever felt targeted or had dark thoughts. So Dream Project is the major title, while the project itself is many little projects which include:
-The Ceiling Tile Project
-Starbucks Coffee Bake Sale
-UNOs Doughraiser
-Barnes & Noble Book Fair
-Other potential fundraisers and cause outreaches
The Ceiling Tile Project is a concept I came up with when I saw an art student's work in my class. He painted a picture of his girlfriend on a ceiling tile, and put it up in all of her classes. Why? They had to be separated because her parents extremely disliked him. They came around, but still, it was a message to her that he was always there with her. It was sweet. The story made me tear up.
Then I went into business mode and capitalized on that.
Paint the ceiling tiles of multiple classrooms (the Principal approves and loves this idea and wants it IN ALL CLASSROOMS, if the teachers are willing) and have it start classroom discussions when a student asks about the tile.
"Why does that tile mean?"
"It's in memory of a student who died because he was bullied."
Well, that hits home.
Raise your hand if you been bullied or have bullied. Raise your hand if you have thought of taking your own life.
Statistically, that's a lot of high school and middle school students.
I also want the project to be "alive" as well. Or as I like to call it, "with a pulse." The teachers can switch around tiles, so that there is never one tile that is painted that melts into the background. Teachers in Massachusetts and in many other states are required to discuss issues about bullying and report concern for a student if signals are sent.
So, why not try to change the world, even as small as a school?
Oh, and when this Ceiling Tile Project is done, we're going to ask the middle schools if they like this. I've gotten the interest of other GSAs in neighboring towns to do this.
Keep in mind, The Dream Project isn't just for gay anti-bullying or gay suicide prevention, but AGAINST ALL BULLYING AND ALL SUICIDES OF ANY FORM.
Away from the Ceiling Tile Project, there is also the matter of funds. The GSA has none. It has no need for funds.
Well, that don't sit well with Jonny, because Jonny likes funds.
The GSA at my school forget the meaning of the word "Cause". So The fundraisers are being made to make funds to put into our bank account (they forgot they are also a non-profit organization) and at the end of the year, we pick where we'd like to donate that money. The money more than likely will go to a support group clinic or Teen Outreach that counsels depressed teens and/or adults, or churches or temples that have support groups or group therapy. That's what a Cause needs to do. It needs to actually do.
So, I guess you can say I'm in Cause Marketing. Because change in the world doesn't happen unless you try to change the world.
~AA
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