From left are Jill Pancoast, Emily Maxwell, Kylie Crawford, Alyssa Milner, Aurora Baxter and Kiera Davidson.--NEWS PHOTO LAUREN THOMSON
lthomson@medicinehatnews.com
Crescent Heights High School and Medicine Hat High School are using Pride month to foster an environment of acceptance and understanding when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community and students within their walls.
Every day this week, the student council group at CHHS can be found leading activities. Students walking by can roll a giant, colourful dice to win a prize, and there’s also a large colourful candy jar to play guess-the-number with.
“The library came and they’re making buttons with some of the LGBTQ designs on there,” explained Aurora Baxter, Grade 12 student and member of the student council.
“We want all students to know that we support them, that we are safe people that they can come and talk to if they are having concerns, we can help,” said Heather McCaig, CHHS teacher. “If they have questions, or if they have people that they need to talk to, they can come to us as teachers and we can filter them through our counsellors … or we can just be an ear to listen if that’s what they need. But we want all students to know that we support all of them, no matter what community they’re a part of, no matter where they are in their journeys within themselves.”
Baxter expressed why celebrating Pride week is important to her as well.
“I personally am part of the LQBTQ community and I’m not closeted, but others are,” said Baxter. “And it’s a good thing for schools to do things to make it feel like there’s a safe space to be yourself. If it’s not safe at home, have another safe place out of home that you go to every single day.”
Vice principal Shonna Barth says the students have taken great initiative to spearhead the activities, and she and many other teachers and support workers have been happy to assist them.
“The school and our school district are very supportive of what these guys are doing and it’s always great to see kids advocating instead of adults telling them what we should we recognizing or celebrating,” Barth said. “So the fact that the students were so much behind this, we are very proud of them.”
Bea Coreas teaches Spanish and English at MHHS, and is also the adviser for the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club, which calls themselves the Pride Alliance. Coreas explained that a student came to talk to her wanting the school to do more for the LGBTQ+ community. The student then made a slideshow presentation to help educate staff and students, which Coreas helped to share throughout the school.
“And then I just thought, hey, if people are feeling we didn’t celebrate Pride month enough, then this was a good start, but let’s make some more noise … for these students who deserve to feel like they’re recognized, acknowledged, seen,” said Coreas. “So I proposed a colourful dress-up day and that was what happened today. I know that one of the teachers also set up a photo booth so that people could take selfies there.”
Coreas says, as an English teacher, she reads pieces from students that help her understand their feelings. She became emotional as she spoke about it.
“They don’t even know how to come out to their parents, to their families, so for me it is important that they have somebody at least, in the school, that they know for sure can open the door for them,” said Coreas. “Sometimes it’s not even anything, except for the fact that they’re afraid, it’s as simple as that.”
Coreas wants all MHHS students to know that they are welcome to contact her and join the Pride Alliance.
