On Saturday, February 12, the Louisville Youth Group directed a conference for high school Gay/Straight Alliances in Jefferson County from 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. at First Lutheran Church, located at 417 E. Broadway.

The conference was designed to provide instruction to GSA members and leaders on the mechanics of running a Gay/Straight Alliance. Activities included introductory gay rights trivia, seminars on starting and expanding a Gay/Straight Alliance, a training on creating a “safe space” for LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) students, and talks on stress management and students’ right to a safe learning environment.
The Louisville Youth Group is an organization that seeks to “boost the self-esteem of GLBT youth by providing a safe space that encourages positive life choices, teaches healthy interactions with peers and adults, and develops activities in which youth are challenged to reach their full potential,” according to its website at www.louisvilleyouthgroup.com.

“It’s really exciting that we get to participate in this “GSA Conference” this year because it’s really the first year that [Manual’s] club has been official,” said Kelsey McKim (10), Vice President of Manual’s GSA. “We’ve been experimenting with different activities all year, so meeting up with other clubs that have similar activities will be really helpful. Also, since running a Gay/Straight Alliance tends to present unique problems because homosexuality is so controversial right now, I think the conference is going to really help us clear up any issues that might come up, as well as help our members as much as we possibly can.”

A free lunch will be provided at the event.

By Zoe Schaver