The nationwide “Stand Up Awareness” week has been a great success at Mountmellick Community School this November.
Students Zuzia Cemka and Emilia Traczyk have written the following report on the week, which was held to show support to all in the LGBTQ+ school community.
Read it in full below photographs.
The school’s inclusion group, Solas, organised many activities to create awareness around the LGBTQ+ community and homophobic bullying.
Solas strives to empower the school’s diversity by being active within the school community and by building a safe environment for the students to feel comfortable in our school.
Each day of the week started with a supportive LGBTQ+ quote. Links were sent out to teachers with informative videos and media about LGBTQ+ terminology and homophobic bullying to raise awareness among the students about the topics.
On Monday the members of Solas raised the Progress Flag which flew at full mast for the full week. This was accompanied by a speech about the group and the meaning of the flag. The group also arranged a poster competition for first year students to spread awareness of MCS being an inclusive school in the locality.
Wednesday was an eventful and enjoyable day for students and staff alike. The group put a lot of effort into baking delicious and colourful cupcakes and cookies, which they brought into the school to sell in the hall at lunch time.
Two talented students helped out by agreeing to provide face painting to other school members along with the bake sale. Students got rainbows, flags and hearts painted on their faces to support both Stand Up Awareness week and the group Solas.
Everyone was so excited for Friday as it was colourful jumper day. Each year was assigned their own colour to wear and the school took some wonderful photographs of the students who wore their colours altogether.
There was also a TikTok made that included students wearing colourful jumpers. The week is sadly over, but it finished on a great note.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
1.
2.
3.
