The Gay-Straight Alliance hopes to organize several projects during October to spread tolerance and acceptance towards the LGBT community. These projects are a No Name Calling Week, Be a Friend Day, an Anti-Bullying Campaign and Band-Aids for Bullying.

“My main goal throughout the year is to give the kids tools to use towards people who show them hate,” sponsor India Childress said. “Give them words, give them an action they can do that is opposite the negativity that they are getting.”

Throughout the month, GSA will be discussing historical figures who supported the LGBT community and different historical events that progressed the LGBT movement. The GSA’s ultimate goal is to teach tolerance. By doing this, they continue to spread the LGBT movement through the community.

“A lot of the time, you’ll see kids who are getting bullied or hated on, will throw hate right back out there,” Childress said. “Hate and hate doesn’t equal anything; it doesn’t equal change. We need to show love towards those people that hate; otherwise we’re just breeding hate ourselves.”

The club not only teaches tolerance of the LGBT community, but tolerance of every person.

“This club is helping people get over differences,” junior Michelle Wallace said.

Throughout the month, members of GSA help to spread LGBT awareness on their own, along with the club.

“I do a lot of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter posts to spread the word through social media,” sophomore Em Williams said.

Though October is National LGBT Awareness month, students will keep showing their support of the community year round. Many will participate in the National day of Silence in April and will continue to wear a purple triangle on their hands or cheeks in a show of silent support.

“We shouldn’t be limited to one month to spread awareness,” freshman John Hampton said. “We should try to highlight it throughout the year.”