He’s modeling it after successful O’Neill club
O’Neill High School prides itself on having a club for nearly every student interest. One such group is the ‘GSA’ — Gay Straight Alliance.
It’s a group — a space — for LGBTQ+ and their straight allies; a place where “all are welcome any time”.
The club’s current president is senior Daniel Crawford, a Highland Falls resident. Crawford, who works part-time as a ‘sandwich artist’ at West Point’s Subway, is proud of the club, but has bigger ideas.
“I have always dreamed to go bigger and run a program for everyone, not just exclusively high school students. So I brainstormed some ideas and put them into action,” he said this week. “I’ve created a Facebook group and a website for my idea, which is named Highland Falls-West Point PRIDE.”
He explains it as a group for all of the LGBTQ+ community and straight allies in the Highland Falls, Fort Montgomery and West Point area to come together and can “feel free to be who they are, free of any judgment”.
Crawford, who isn’t quite sure what he will do once he graduates from O’Neill but is looking toward a possible career in law enforcement and maybe even law school, hopes that once the group gains a bit of traction, it will be able to start holding weekly meetings. Those, he said, are popular with O’Neill’s GSA.
“We have about 30 kids on our roster, and usually about 20 attend each of our Friday meetings,” he said, noting that the attendance varies depending on the academic, athletic, extra-curricular and work schedules of the students. They are advised by science teacher Kat Westervelt, he said.
“I’d like to model our community meetings around our school meetings,” Crawford said, with something fun to do or planning for events, or just hanging out.”
He says that although he’s only 17, he sees that there is a need in the community for such a group.
“I think we can work together to make this community more united,” he said.
To get involved with the new group, or to follow its activities, visit the following locations:
Facebook: HighlandFalls-WestPointPRIDE
Instagram: hfwppride
Website: www.hfwpPRIDE.com
