Take It Apart: Student of Color Summit November 17th in Madison
Brought to you by GSA for Safe Schools, the Urban League of Greater Madison, Freedom, Inc. Centro Hispano, Teens Like Us, and the Madison Metropolitan School District, this summit will feature breakout sessions on: the portrayal (or lack) of LGBT people of color in the media; discussions about the different types of "isms"; HIV and other STI prevention; and strategies for addressing and weathering racism in the larger queer community.

The summit will take place on Saturday, November 17th from 10AM to 4PM at Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin/Briarpatch in Madison, at 1955 Atwood Avenue. There is no fee for this retreat, but we would like to know who's coming (since lunch is on us!). So if you're interested, give Brian J. or Tim a call at 608.661.4141.

Download a poster for the summit here and help us spread the word!

When: 10 am - 4 pm, November 17th (a Saturday!)
Where: Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin/Briarpatch in Madison (1955 Atwood Avenue)
What: Take It Apart: Student of Color Summit
How much: It's free!
Will I be fed: Yes!

11th Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards Banquet
May 19, 2007
Monona Terrace at One John Nolen Drive
Madison, Wisconsin

Introducing the 2007 GSA for Safe Schools Scholarship and Award Recipients
Every year, GSA for Safe Schools awards four Wisconsin high school seniors with scholarships for the amazing work they’ve done to make their schools and communities safe for LGBTQ youth and their straight allies. These four students will be honored and recognized for their achievements at the Celebration of Leadership at the Monona Terrace. In addition to the scholarships, the Celebration of Leadership honors one person with the Community Activist Award, and one person with the Educator Award. This year’s scholarship and award recipients are:

GSA for Safe Schools Scholarship Recipients

Ellie Crean has shown a commitment to making East High School, Madison and the wider state of Wisconsin a safer place for everyone. She leads the East GSA’s Education Committee, which educates freshmen about harassment and how to stop it, and serves as one of five youth from the Madison area in Top TEN (Teen Education Network), presenting workshops across Wisconsin on topics like LGBT issues, HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse and bullying. An elected member to Proud Theater’s Youth Artistic Committee, Ellie credits PT for being one place she can go and truly be herself, talking about and working with other youth on issues facing them as LGBT community members. She is grateful for the programming and leadership opportunities GSAFE has offered her at GSA conferences. Ellie intends to study at Oberlin College in the future and plans to be involved in the many campus LGBT groups and activities offered there.

Teddi Hereid has dramatically improved Mount Horeb High School this past year. As president she has transformed her school’s dormant GSA into a thriving club with more than fifty members. Safe Zone signs are nearly everywhere, and the phrase “that’s so gay” has all but disappeared from the hallways. On top of her club duties, Teddi is very active in the political community. Last fall she volunteered regularly with Fair Wisconsin and the Democratic party, and organized Get Out The Vote efforts as a ward captain for Mount Horeb. Teddi’s love for politics inspired her to accept an unpaid internship working in Tammy Baldwin’s office, for which she says “the educational opportunity far outweighs the fiscal disadvantage.” She has also taught students how to use the state non-discrimination law to advocate for safer schools. Teddi will enter UW-Madison this fall to pursue degrees in political science and LGBT studies.

Jared Genova believes bettering oneself starts with bettering one’s community. Over the course of his high school career, which included experiencing homelessness, living on his own, and attending three different high schools, Jared has done just that. As a representative on the district-level Student Senate and an active member in Shabazz High School’s government and educational policy course, Jared has been a natural and charismatic leader. Moving from Verona to Madison he educated several communities about the marriage ban, and taught his peers how to do the same. He has presented numerous workshops on students’ rights at GSA conferences, and balances his schoolwork and activism while working a near-to-full-time job. Whether training his peers or school professionals around the state, Jared is always willing to step forward and share his vision, insight, and story. Jared will attend MATC this fall with plans to transfer to the UW-Madison with the goal of entering the School of Social Work. He hopes to some day work with disadvantaged youth.

Ben Pollok seeks to be an individual who can inform and inspire others, whether he is presenting to his peers at Middleton High School, other south-central Wisconsin schools or a graduate class at UW-La Crosse. His innate teaching skills cause him to be a sought-after speaker, known for his ability to share his story in an honest, upbeat and disarming way. MHS’s Alliance members recognized Ben’s leadership skills when they elected him to serve as one of four student leaders for the past two years. Certainly his strengths can be attributed to his personal experience and early activism. During his freshmen year at a private school in San Diego, Ben laid the solid foundation for a GSA he started, which continues today. Ben is interested in furthering his fascination with foreign languages and international relations at Colgate University next year.

Educator Award

As advisor to Eau Claire Memorial High School’s GSA for six years, Beth Franklin has helped students of all walks of life feel safe, appreciated, and welcome. During her tenure she coordinated bi-annual trainings for UW-Eau Claire student-teachers, lobbied for and won a staff training on LGBT issues, rallied critical support for a homeless club member, mentored student leaders and guided them through multiple national events. She has put her job on the line numerous times for the safety and well-being of her LGBT students, most recently in 2006 when she survived six weeks of media and public scrutiny for facilitating a lesson about the challenges faced by transgender individuals in her English classroom during the 2006 Day of Silence. This will be Beth’s last year teaching at Eau Claire Memorial, and her students consider this award a wonderful send off and thank you on behalf of the community.

Community Activist Award

Kat Miller has not only planned eight GSA conferences but has also presented more than twice that many workshops. She helped found her middle school GSA, and has been a driving force behind the Madison East High School GSA for four years, leading campaigns and regularly educating her peers and school staff -- including her elementary school teachers. As a member and current Youth Artistic Director of Proud Theater, she has written, produced, and acted in skits pertaining to LGBT youth for schools, community organizations, and churches around the state. Other roles include founding member of Top TEN, student leader in Teens Like Us, and awesome girlfriend to Ellie. She fought the marriage ban, lobbied her school board, and educated the Lieutenant Governor about LGBT youth. Of greatest impact, though, has been the example she has set for other youth activists. “Kat is a role model for making huge change in Wisconsin,” said her peers. “She makes things happen; she pulls it all together.” Kat will attend Lawrence University in the fall.

Backyard Hero

Read about GSA for Safe School's volunteer, Kate Zurlo-Cuva, who was named a Backyard Hero by Community Shares of Wisconsin.