Interested in Joining the GSA?

Students are welcome to join the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at North Marion High School if they wish!

Adviser Jonathan Barrett said that it is a student-centered and student-driven group, so students are the ones who organize group events and will generate momentum to restart group meetings and events. The mission of the North Marion GSA is to create a community of LGTBQ+ students and their advocates, and to advocate for creating a space at North Marion where those students feel welcomed and respected, Barrett explained.

Barrett said the GSA had 10 members last year who attended regularly, but they have graduated from High School, so the group would need leadership to begin again. He offered examples of last year’s group activities to offer guidance to incoming group members.

“During the course of the year, they played games together to develop a sense of community, traveled to see the winter concert for the Portland Gay Men's Chorus, and did some education and outreach in the High School,” Barrett said. “For Valentine's Day, the students hand-made cards for all of the teachers with the message, ‘Thank you for creating a space where all students can feel safe and respected.’ The students also helped some staff members think differently about the usage of pronouns when addressing their students and consider how they can separate the issues of sex and gender when writing assignments for their classes. The club also distributed over 100 Pride buttons to students who now wear them on their clothes and backpacks.” 

If this sounds like a student club that you’d be interested in joining and/or leading, please feel free to contact Mr. Barrett at jonathan.barrett@nmarion.k12.or.us.