GSA Returns to FAHS

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September 30, 2009 • Jessica Cravens
Filed under People and Clubs

After its yearlong hiatus, the Gay
Straight Alliance [GSA] is back as
an active club at FAHS. The club
prides itself as a place where the gay,
straight and bisexual student population
can come together without
judgments and feel accepted.
“Different is not a disease,” the
GSA’s slogan, aims to relay the message
the club gives to its members
and other students in the school.
English Teacher and GSA Advisor
Kate Schultz, as well as the rest
of the club, hope to start changing
view-points of others in her room
after school during club meetings.
“The GSA is a place where students,
who may not have had a
place to feel comfortable and accepted
before, can come and find
other like-minded individuals to
connect with,” Schultz said.
The group of teens have obstacles
yet to face but have accomplished
a lot as well, with the most group
members since the group started in
it started in 2006 under the leadership
of English Teacher Sue Hall.
Some of the goals are to start fundraisers,
sell t-shirts promoting the
club and take trips to conferences
held in Madison.
“I want [GSA] to be more recognized,
like the [banners] on the wall
in the commons,” Sophomore Marcus
Wales said.
With all the support and new
goals GSA has had thus far, people
wonder why it was not a club last
year.
“There weren’t students who were
interested enough in [GSA] and
didn’t want to take the time to get
it up and going,” Co-Advisor Nick
Hamele said.
While not all students agree that
same sex relationships are “right”
due to religious, political or personal
beliefs, members support relationships
between students of different
sexual preferences.
A common misconception of
GSA is that the club is all homosexuals.
There are straight students
in the club to support their friends
and classmates.
“GSA isn’t a place where I have
to deal with immature people daily
and it’s hard when people put that
kind of stress on top of everything
going on at school,” Sophomore
Jonathan Lawver said.
Former advisor, Sue Hall, can not
advise the club as she is on a oneyear
sabbatical from the district, so
the club is now led by Schultz.
The GSA meets every other
Tuesday in Ms. Schultz’s room at
3:05pm.