GHS Crosswalks/ Unity Inclusion

At the beginning of my junior year in high school, I was asked by one of my teachers and mentors to join an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) peer leader training program. At the time I was not fully aware of what the program was but because my teacher asked, I said yes. Early in the training, I found myself asking what it meant to be part of this program, what difference I could make, and who I could help by being part of the peer leadership program. It was not until day two of the program that I realized the biggest impact I could have on my peers would be to make a visual representation of inclusiveness while walking into our school. After a long year of email correspondences to and from the principal and superintendent of my school district, my plan has finally come to the point where I was able to present my proposal to the school committee in December where they agreed to support my project. Because the school district’s motto is “everyone belongs' ', I have created artwork to welcome everyone into the high school through our crosswalks. The idea is that the first crosswalk will be painted to represent the LGBTQ+ community flag and the second will have a flag to represent each nation in symbolizing our unity. The third flag will represent the many clubs and organizations at Gloucester High. I am confident that my work on this project will pave the way for more of my peers to feel confident in who they are and confirm that everyone belongs.

Financiado pelo capítulo Gloucester, MA (March 2024)