West GSA

Have you ever heard of West Middle School GSA? Mrs. Hine can explain what this safe space is!

Mrs. Hine states, “Our goal as a club is to create a safe and welcoming environment for all within the halls of West Middle School. We contain a widely diverse group of students from the LGBTQIA+ populations as well as Allies and we just want everyone to know that there are friends here for you. Our goal is to eliminate bullying through peer support, create a community of friends, and have fun doing it! I would like to add that in order to protect others we do not keep records of members, regardless of orientation, so if you are nervous about coming to a meeting, don’t be!”

All grades are welcome to attend, “The more, the merrier!” says Mrs. Hine.

A typical meeting consists of fun activities, getting-to-know-you games, and learning about historical figures. GSA is hoping to have guest speakers as well.

Mrs. Hine stated, “I started the Gender and Sexuality Alliance back in 2019 and have been the mentor ever since.” She continues, “As a mentor, I schedule meetings and have planned activities.” Mrs. Hine continued that they started by a former West student reaching out to the principal to see if they could have GSA here at West because they thought that it would be beneficial to them. She continued, “When I discovered that we were the only middle school that didn’t have a GSA in the district, I knew that had to change. I spoke with our former principal, and we decided that West should have a GSA, too.” She also said, “Since our origin, we have grown into a group of about 45-50 students over 3 grade levels and we have just elected our first leadership board.”

“In my opinion, as someone who loves going to almost every GSA meeting since being here at West, I love it. It is my safe space where I can just be myself and have fun without worry. Understandable if you don’t want to join or feel scared to, we welcome you with open arms to join, if you want to of course. You can learn more about yourself and meet other people. Remember to have a great day and enjoy yourself always.” Ruth, West 7th grader.

Meetings are held on Thursdays, but make sure to listen to announcements for more details.