By Kadence Davidson, Reporter
LGBTQSA is the name of an after-school club at Grand Island Senior High School (GISH).
LGBTQSA means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Straight Alliance.
The LGBTQSA Club meets every Wednesday across from the East Office at 3:30. In addition to that, there are meetings on Thursdays twice a month which include extra things such as mental health projects.
The sponsors of the LGBTQSA club are Brian Whitecalf and Alyssa Alexander. Whitecalf is Grand Island Senior High’s anti-poverty liaison and Alexander is a social worker.
The LGBTQSA Club is somewhere students can feel safe and have immense support, according to Whitecalf.
Whitecalf said he believes LGBTQSA “provides support and education to the students,” and that the club wants “equality and equity and is ultimately a safe space for any students who may be looking for support so they don’t feel alone.”
The club’s goal is to create a safe space for all students who are LGBTQSA or any sexual orientation or gender identity and all those who support the well-being of those who attend. The future of the club is determined by the students. One good thing about this club is that it doesn’t take up all of a student’s time; they are still able to live their lives.
You can join the club simply by showing up and participating. Safety and respect are very important to them. What does this club do?
Whitecalf said they do “mental health activities, art projects, ice breakers, getting to know you activities, the Stuhr Museum’s holiday tree decorating, a Harvest of Harmony Parade entry, guest speakers from The UNK Diversity Program, for example, a Halloween party, and a winter break party.”
One of the things this club has done in the past year was put on a self defense class for the entire staff and student body. The club got a member of GISH’s Security Team to teach those interested about different self-defense techniques.
Again, LGBTQSA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Straight Alliance. The club is open to anyone in the student body. The club has events and games and meets every week on Wednesday and twice a month on Thursdays.
The club is a safe space for all.
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