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Are we growing numb to the violence?

by Gabby Bishop and Greta Reel

In America, the average gun homicide rate is around 13,000 a year, which is over 25 times the average of other high-income countries. Since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, over 400 people have been shot in more than 200 school shootings nationwide.

To students in today’s society, school shootings are no longer the tragic massacre of peers — people with lives and families — but another statistic in their common world.

So the question is: are Americans becoming numb to the consistent violence, and is the media unintentionally glorifying shootings with constant coverage?

Susan Duncan, editor for the Evening News and Tribune doesn’t believe the news is causing romanticization. However, she agrees that gun violence isn’t as surprising anymore.

“You’ve lost the shock factor,” Duncan explained, referring to shootings. “There’s an initial shock, but then there’s also that ‘Oh my gosh, here we go again.’
 “But I think to point to the media as unintentionally glorifying, I think that’s a falsehood,” she continued. “If people are getting desensitized, it’s not because we’re writing stories about it — it’s because these things are happening.”

Jeffersonville High School radio/TV teacher Tim Dench thinks teens are becoming desensitized to gun violence.

“Teenagers nowadays think nothing of shootings,” Dench said. “Years ago, when there was a robbery, a shooting, or some crime, it usually involved a 30 or 40-year-old adult…. Now (it’s people) in their young 20s and a lot of times even into their teens; and the younger generation, they think nothing of using guns.”

Dench believes constant coverage of massacres may glorify guns, but the media has to cover it due to First Amendment rights.

“It is news. It’s not good news, but news is news, and it’s the job of the media to report the news,” he continued.

Jeff High sophomore Hailey Lathan believes she, too, is becoming numb to consistent violence.

“So much violence is going on in today’s world it seems as if the world wouldn’t be normal without it,” Lathan said. “I think media is bringing somewhat more awareness to school shooting, though some kids find it as an excuse to make a joke of it.”

According to Duncan, though, the news media should not be seen as the only blame to this desensitization. With most of the world on social media apps like Twitter or Facebook, being able to argue is easier than ever.

“There’s an anger that you see on social media that if it were one-on-one interactions, you wouldn’t see. It has empowered the worst in us…. People feel that they can just go after people,” she said.

Even though media could be considered a major factor for desensitization, it can also be seen as a way to show people the terror of these shooting. For example, videos of the Parkland FA. shooting spread like wildfire through social media. This first person point-of-view insight showed the true horror of what it is like to be a victim in a school shooting.

“You saw it, heard it, felt it from the inside that time. You could hear the terror, you could hear the screams, you could hear the gunfire,” Duncan said. “I remember seeing one angle of a student who had clearly… dove to the dirty, dusty floor to try to stay alive.”

School shootings have become a national epidemic, though one that people have the power to stop. It’s up to Americans to resolve it, and Duncan thinks the recent shooting in Parkland, Fla. will mark a change.

“I think (it’s) kind of a different dynamic that we’re seeing this time,” Duncan said. “This time it didn’t happen to little kids; it happened to kids who can think for themselves and take actions for themselves.”

by jhshyphen

School shootings put ROTC in unique position

by Bella Bungcayao

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ROTC member Lindsey Vessels has her pins adjusted on her uniform by a fellow cadet.

Leadership and discipline are two of many attributes JROTC students are taught to uphold in their schools.

Yet this program has been both criticized and praised nationally because of the recent Parkland, Fla. school shooting, and the involvement of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School JROTC.

Nikolas Cruz, the Florida school shooter responsible for the death of 17 students and staff, was, in fact, an ROTC cadet at Stoneman Douglas.

This rogue member, however, did not reflect the practices of the entire Parkland program.

As more details of the shooting started to uncover, many stories were told about JROTC members, and their heroism for protecting their peers. Some of these students even lost their own life, including 15-year-old Peter Wang.

According to witnesses, Wang was pulling students from the hallways into safety before he was killed by a single bullet.

Because of Wang’s selflessness shown on Feb. 14, he was honored with a traditional military funeral.

Two other JROTC cadets who were killed, named Martin Duque and Alaina Petty, were also said by fellow students to have been ushering their peers out of the halls.

These stories touched JROTC members nationwide, like Victoria Southern, who is the Corps Commander for Jeff High’s JROTC program.

“I think that the individuals in JROTC who took those life-threatening risks showed true leadership and service before self,” Southern said. “Which is something that is taught in the program.”

Southern and her JROTC peers took class time to write notes of encouragement and praise to these students, and sent them to the cadets in Parkland.

Retired Colonel Robert Benning, one of the two advisors of Jeff’s JROTC program, hopes his cadets feel encouraged by these stories of heroism, if the school was in the event of an active shooter.

“I would hope my students would feel the urge to protect their peers,” Benning said. “That type of bravery is what is taught in the program. However I wouldn’t want any of them to run out and confront an active shooter.”

These three students who lost their lives during this tragedy let their legacies live on accredited to their JROTC teachings. Their practice of service before self, leadership, and dependability, unfortunately, would lead to their cause of death.

However because of their heroics, it’s safe to say many other lives were saved.

by jhshyphen

Safety of athletes, fans top priority for JHS athletics

by Carlos Molina

Recent school threats have changed the way students want to attend sporting events. Some don’t feel safe being at school, let alone a high school game held after school hours.

So how is Jeffersonville High School taking proper precautions to ensure student safety?

“It’s re-evaluating what your safety procedure is,” Jeffersonville High School athletic director Todd Satterly explained. “Right now, we feel comfortable with our policy and the amount of security we have at events. I always have four officers at basketball games and six at football games.”

With football games being the biggest event attended by the community, safety is a major concern — not only for the spectators, but also for the players.

“Player safety, in any sporting event, is a huge concern. Whether its football or basketball, the crowd and students are more so of a concern,” head football coach Alfonzo Browning said. “I think it’s more so of an issue with the way things have played out here recently. There are so many people not being checked, you don’t know what they could be bringing into the building or game for that matter.”

Following the Parkland, Fla. shooting on Feb. 14 that claimed 17 lives, New Albany High School received threats the next day, leading to some frantic parents pulling students from school.

Despite the threat, that evening’s boys basketball game was not canceled, and proceeded as schedule. Satterly kept an eye on the crosstown high school, noting how they handled the situation.

“If (New Albany) still went on, then I’m sure they felt comfortable with continuing. Knowing (NA athletic director) Mr. (Don) Unruh well enough, I would believe as soon as a threat was made, that there was immediate action taken,” Satterly said. “It would be no different here, if we were initiated with a threat. The first phone call is to Mrs. (Julie) Straight, then central administration, and then get the police involved immediately to find out our options. (Finally) we’d notify the opposing school and notify our workers.”

With players being in the spotlight, though, their safety is the number one concern. Senior basketball and baseball player Hunter Schmitz doesn’t feel threatened, or in harm’s way during his games.

”I don’t worry about being safe at sporting events. You shouldn’t need to worry,” Schmitz said. “A precaution we could take is possibly adding more on-duty officers at these events.”

For future references, safety and security will continue to be a pressing matter. For now, spectators will determine the outcome for rules and guidelines.

“People won’t attend your event if they don’t feel safe,” Satterly said. “We plan for every possible scenario so our athletes feel comfortable. Unfortunately, we live in a time where those are things that we have to consider.”

by jhshyphen

GALLERY & MULTIMEDIA: The flooding of Jeffersonville and Utica

all photos by Dylan Shupe-Logsdon

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by jhshyphen

Settle down … Rusty is on the case

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School Resource Officer Rusty Settles has been roaming the halls of Jeffersonville High School, and other area schools, for nearly his entire 25 years on the force.

by Tristan Jackson

Every day, he comes into the school.

As he walks by students, they nod their head at him in respect for what he does to ensure their safety. With his uniform cleanly pressed, and his mindset on protecting Jeff High, officer Rusty Settles will do whatever he may have to do to keep Jeff, and the students within it, safe.

In a time where gun control, and school safety, is a hot topic, Settles follows a routine each morning to ensure students can go about with a normal day.

“When I get here everyday, I try to walk the building and check the doors,” Settles says. “I make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be. Once that’s done, I always try to be visible throughout passing times.”

Being visible throughout the school can be tough, though, especially with a school as big as Jeff. Roughly 2,100 students attend JHS, and while the school is in a closed-campus setting, the building still spans a large area.

“I feel safe when I see Officer Settles in the hallways,” said senior Kip Jackson. “I love that I see him in more than one location in the school. He’s always checking up on me and my fellow students.”

Settles has been on the Jeffersonville Police Department for 25 years, as of June. When a position within the high school opened itself up, Settles found the job interesting and wanted to learn more about it.

Little did Settles know, though, that the job would be so critical for student safety years later.

Recent events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 14 students and three teachers were killed, have brought jobs like Officer Settles’ into the spotlight.

“There are lots of factors in how people view how we do our job. School shootings have caused a lot of different things, a lot of different ways, a lot of different mindsets,” Settles says. “Just think of how students feel when the fire alarm goes off. (They) call mom and dad. (Their) mindset has changed.”

But according to Settles, recent tragedies have not just changed students and parents — his frame of mind has been affected, too.

“My perspective on what has just happened (in Parkland), yeah it’s changed. It goes through my mind, I can’t say it doesn’t,” Settles says. “But I can say, I know some students that would report to me. I, along with the school corporation, will take what they would report and investigate thoroughly to help keep you safe.”

While Jeffersonville High School is fortunate to have Settles on duty full-time, some around the country would like to see teachers armed, or having more guns within the schools.

“It would be nice to have someone else to help investigate certain things. I always reach out to my colleagues at the (police) department for some help with things,” Settles says. “I don’t want to get overzealous with it, but with where we are today and the actions taking place within the country, it may need to be looked at over extra security or people trained to use a gun.

“Ask me a week from now,” Settles continued, “it might be different.”

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Settles has been following the school shooting events closely, using what he sees as potential tips for how to handle violent situations in the future. “My perspective on what has just happened (in Parkland), yeah it’s changed. It goes through my mind, I can’t say it doesn’t. But I can say, I know some students that would report to me. I, along with the school corporation, will take what they would report and investigate thoroughly to help keep (students) safe.”

But even with everything going on, Settles finds one thing is more important than anything else: his relationships he has built along the way.

“I want to build rapport with you guys. You need to know me, I need to know you,” Settles says of students. “That, in itself, is the most important thing.Through the NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) training program, I learned the number one thing is building that rapport to help create communication between each other.”

Building trust throughout JHS helps make Officer Settles’ job smoother, and create for a more welcoming environment at Jeff High.

“People may ask me why safety and keeping guns out is not the top priority,” said Settles. “But it is. The talk and communication can help prevent such things from every happening. My job is proactive and reactive.”

by jhshyphen

EDITORIAL: We just want to talk…

Staff Editorial:

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a non-profit, pro-gun organization that was founded back in 1871, and has been pushing for the upholding of the Second Amendment ever since.

But, after the last 10 years of gun violence, particularly at the high school and college level, they’ve faced criticism — not for upholding the the Second Amendment of the Constitution, but for not listening to the cries of protesters calling out for a change after multiple school shootings.

Still, one month later,nobody is listening.

Here at the Hyphen, we make it a priority to open lines of communication to every party, especially when talking about such heated issues such as our country’s gun laws.

But in attempting to do so, we were shut down.

After multiple attempts to contact the NRA for their thoughts on the recent school attacks, no feedback was received. Even our advisor, Mr. Wes Scott, reached out to them to no avail.

So we tried local.

Gold & Guns, a jewelry and gun shop located a half-mile away from Jeffersonville High School, denied to comment as well. (Might we add the scariest part: they did not even ask our high school journalists for any type of identification as we walked in, despite the Indiana law stating only those 21 and up can purchase handguns.)

The Liberty Belles Women’s Gun Club, an NRA-sponsored club located in Clarksville, did not comment after multiple phone calls and emails sent out to them, as well. The Hyphen failed to get a SINGLE comment back from three different locations about what should be done in the future, and what safety concerns we, as high school students, have.

Why doesn’t anyone want to talk about it? Why are we taught for 12 years to talk through our issues, but get doors slammed on us when questioning a company about something that could be potentially so life and death with students?

Unfortunately, we think it’s simple: they don’t want kids to be the reason their guns are taken away.

The fact of the matter is nobody wants to talk about a subject where kids are the victims, and student safety is the main concern. But it’s also a touchy subject, especially when Constitutional rights are being discussed.

As difficult as it might be for store owners, politicians and other adults to go through, it’s a discussion that needs to happen. And it needs to happen now.

In the end, each student and staff member of every high school nationwide can probably come to an agreement that during their eight-hour day, they all want to feel safe.

As school shootings have now become more frequently reported in the news, it’s inevitable for students to want some type of change, so that themselves and their peers don’t become the next statistic.

But we can’t do that unless the lines of communication are open.

Whether or not this change is the banning of firearms, or perhaps even increasing them among trusted adults in schools, gun control is the phrase on everyone’s lips. Staying silent is not going to decrease the casualties.

It’s clear there is a problem.

When students at Jeffersonville High School feel hesitant to walk out into the halls when a fire alarm goes off, or when parents feel uneasy watching their kids leave to start their day, it’s clear there is a problem.

There are a myriad of changes that could be argued for improved school safety, and we understand that there are alternatives to taking away everyone’s firearms.

But how can these changes be made if we can’t even get the conversation started? Why are others arguing something that affects us?

We get it. We’re young. We make some dumb decisions sometimes. (Tide Pod Challenge, anyone?)

But we’re not naive. And we’re definitely not stupid.  

So in this issue of the Hyphen, we are making it a point to start the conversation. Listen to us; actually hear us. Involve us.

Change is happening, because the policies we have now simply aren’t sustainable.

It’s time to talk.

by cmolina

Jeffersonville vs. Floyd Central Sectional Semifinal Preview

Story by Tristan Jackson

After an exciting year of basketball, the Hoosier Hills conference sports three top-6 teams in state. No. 6 Jeffersonville, No. 3 New Albany, and No. 4 Floyd Central have a combined record of 65-5.

Unfortunately, two of these teams won’t make it out of the Seymour sectional. Jeffersonville and Floyd Central will face off in the semifinals, and the winner will likely face off against New Albany, who is two years removed from a state championship, and led by the No. 5 prospect in the nation, senior Romeo Langford.

Assuming New Albany beats Seymour, Jeff and Floyd will determine the finals matchup. The last time these teams went head-to-head, Floyd won in a 55-51 grudge match at home, with no team leading by more than six at any point of the game.

My point of view:

Jeffersonville- Jacob Jones will dominate Weimer in the open court, if Jeff gets fast break opportunities Jones will be able to get by Weimer with ease. Bailey Falkenstein can get it done from anywhere on the court, and there’s no one on Floyd who can shut him down for four quarters. The Coleman brothers are both freak athletes, and both can knock down an open three when given the opportunity. With these two roaming the paint Floyd will be forced to take more jump shots than they are accustomed to. Zeke Smith is probably Jeff’s least refined offensive player, but is a strong defender and glass eater, and can shoot the three when he is able to get open. I see him pulling down some important offensive boards on Friday night.

Floyd Central- Luke Gohmann and Cobie Barnes will handle the majority of Floyd’s scoring. They are both very talented players and Jeff will have a hard time defending them both. Floyd’s guard play is a liability on the offensive end, but they are decent defensively. Hobson is tall and lengthy center, so he’ll be able to lockdown Jeff’s guards in the paint. However, he’s not as athletic or as strong compared to Jeff’s big men, so the Coleman brother will likely get by him fairly easily. Floyd are as a whole better jump shooters, but they can’t match Jeff’s athleticism.

As I stated in my last preview, this matchup will be decided by the pace in which the game is played. A fast paced game plays into Jeff’s hands, as Floyd will not be able to keep up with Jeff’s high flying bunch. However, the last game was a slow paced, half-court dominated game, and Jeff still stayed in the game the entire way through. Knowing what I know about the previous meeting, I think Friday will be a different story. On a neutral court Jeff will be able to play more of their own game, and I think they’ll be able to come out with a victory on Friday if they do so.

Just like the last game, this one is too close to call. Jeff and Floyd will both travel well, so neither team will have an advantage when it comes to fan support. That is a huge variable that is changing from the last matchup, which was played in Floyds Knobs. I personally believe Jeff will win on a neutral court, but either way it goes I think both sides will be pleased with the talent shown on Friday night. You can expect a hard fought battle on both sides.

by tristanjackson15

Raising Cain

Story by Tristan Jackson

Jeffersonville High School has a new state champion.

Camyle Cain, a wrestler in the 138-pound weight class on the female circuit, won the Indiana state competition on Jan. 19 — just one year after the first-ever state competition for girls, in which she placed second against Alara Boyd, the second-ranked female wrestler in the world in her weight class.

“I’ve never felt something so exciting,” Cain said on her experience at the state tournament. “Everyone is so welcoming and nice. Even if you’re going against the girl, she’ll help you warm up.”

Cain was convinced to join the wrestling team by head wrestling and strength & conditioning coach Danny Struck, who has been coaching at Jeff for over 20 years. While she excels on the mat, Cain’s first love was the football field.

“I didn’t want to originally,” Cain said on joining the wrestling team. “Struck would ask me everyday to come. He would say ‘if you don’t like it, don’t come back. Just try it.’ I didn’t like it the first week, but I kept going, and a month down the road, I realized I really liked this sport.”IMG_0070

Cain joined the football team her freshman year, and played under head coach Lonnie Oldham. During her first year, she built relationships with her coaches, including Alfonzo Browning, who would eventually go on to become the head coach.

Cain’s wrestling coaches have helped pave the path to a state title, and her football coach would end up accompanying her to the state championship

“It meant a lot to me, especially after everything we’ve been through over the last four years,” said Browning, on taking Cain to State. “I was honored to be able to take her up there.”

While Cain enjoyed the experience, a high school athlete’s goal is to win a state championship. Her hard work got her all the way to the championship match after winning the first two matches in the competition.

Cain went into her final match with a 8-0 record against female opponents, including a first place finish in the USA preseason national tournament and regional champion.

In dominating performance, her first two wins of the tourney would come by the way of pin. As the favorite, Cain would eventually make her way to the championship round, where she would face off against Westfield High School’s Melody Barrows.

During the final, she continued her impressive display, pinning her opponent less than two minutes into the match.  

“When I won I couldn’t even control myself,” Cain said. “I really didn’t know how to act.”

The win is not only a tremendous accomplishment for Cain herself, but a groundbreaking accomplishment for the girls who could potentially follow down the same path.

“She improved both physically and mentally,” Struck said. “She’s grown up and she’s much better at keeping her emotions in check.”

It’s safe to say the win brought a lot of attention to Cain, and she has received an abundance of support from the students and teachers around the building.

“Every time Coach Browning sees me, he’ll say ‘what’s up champ’,” Cain said. “Everyone is so excited for me.”

Although Cain won a state championship, there will always be people who doubt and hate excellence, especially as a female exceeding in a predominantly male sport. Cain is no exception.

“I do get some crap for it. Some people say, ‘You didn’t really win state because you’re a girl,’” Cain said. “I don’t really know why. I guess they are just jealous.”

Regardless of the naysayers, Cain shined on her way to a state title, utterly dominating her competition.

“She’s got a runner-up against the second-ranked wrestler in the world and a state title; that’s a nice resume for when she goes for the All-Marine team,” Struck said.

With the backing of her coaches, teammates and classmates, Cain made her championship dream come true.

“I can’t believe I won state,” Cain said. “That’s something every athlete dreams to do.”

Cain finished her high school career on top, but it’s not the end of the road for the outstanding Red Devil. Although she has yet to pick out a college, Cain fully intends on wrestling post-high school, and the school that she decides to attend will be getting a girl who is ready to work.

“I just want to get better,” Cain said. “Get better for when I further it.”

by cmolina

Effects of Mental Illness on Women

She seems happy at school. She talks to her friends, eats her lunch, and does her work.

Unfortunately, it all changes as soon as she opens her front door to return home.

She starts to take off all her makeup, then just stares at herself in the mirror. She sighs and walks to her room, where she just sits on her bed. She has a feeling she is about to cry, but no tears come out.

Instead, she just sits there, staring into the nothingness she lives every day.

This is a normal day for sophomore Riley Brown, who suffers from anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression.

“It feels like when you’re outside on the icy ground and you slip, but you catch yourself, except it keeps happening and it never actually stops,” says Brown. “The medicine helps. Instead of worrying 24/7, (now) it’s more like 12/7.

According to mentalhealthamerica.net, one of the nation’s leading websites on mental health, around 12 million (roughly one-in-eight) women experience some form of clinical depression every year.

Compared to their gender counterparts, women seem to experience depression at twice the rate of men. Specifically, girls aged 14-18 years have higher rates of depression than males around this age.

“Men often display their depression with anger and overworking, while women suffer in silence,” says Allison Puckett, a former Wellstone Hospital employee. “They do, however, seem to experience more support.”

According to Puckett, someone who shows signs of depression may just need someone to open up to.

“It’s really important to talk about depression. You won’t cause someone to commit suicide just by asking if they’re okay,” Puckett said. “If the signs are there, you should ask. People need to know to never give up. There’s always hope.”

Signs of depression include increased feeling of tiredness or insomnia, overeating or loss of appetite, excessive crying, loss of interest in activities, and outbreaks of anger.

“I encourage someone who is having negative thoughts to go to a trusted adult, coach, or counselor,” says Jeffersonville High School counselor Tyler Colyer. “If someone is showing signs, be supportive, aware, and tell a trusted adult.”

Now that Riley has started taking her medication she seems happier and less anxious. When she recognized the symptoms she confided in someone she knew cared about her.

That changed her life.

“I promise things do get better,” Brown says. “It might just take some time.”

by samgatewood

Seven Years Later

Story by Carlos Molina

This year marks the seventh anniversary of the historic season from the Jeffersonville Lady Red Devils basketball team.

In 2011, the Lady Red Devils won the IHSAA 4A state championship, only the fourth state title in school history. (Three of the four state titles have come from female sports team: track – twice – and basketball.)

In the Class 4A championship game, the girls defeated Penn by a score of 42-29. The win vaulted JHS to an overall record of 28 wins and two losses during the season, the best final mark ever from a girls’ team.

During that championship run, head coach Chad Gilbert had the luxury of returning players, partnered with a little bit of luck.

“The experience was one you dream about,” Gilbert, now the athletic director at Charlestown High School, recalls. “To win a state championship, you have to be good and you have to be lucky. The state championship was one that we worked extremely hard for many years to achieve the goal. We felt like we won the state championship for everyone that ever wore a Red Devil uniform before us, and everyone that has worn a Red Devil uniform after us.”

Former basketball player Jamice Williams led the team with 3.8 assist per game, and still reminisces about the championship.

“Winning state meant the world to me,” Williams says. “The team and I worked so hard to accomplish this goal and it was well worth all the sweat and tears. I wish I could put into words how much it actually meant to me, but it’s hard. It was a one-of-a-kind experience.”

Senior Jacinta Gibson is currently a four-year starter on the girls basketball team. Growing up in Jeffersonville, Gibson looked up to the girls’ team that won state.

“Winning a state championship has always been a dream of mine and to see those girls accomplish that gave me a lot of hope for my future as a Red Devil,” Gibson said. “ I look up to all those girls”

Averaging 61.2 points per game during the season, the Lady Red Devils convincingly beat their opponents, winning their regular season games by an average of 31.5 points per contest.

“We had a talented team that were great players, but even better people.The team and coaching stuff really enjoyed being around each other,” Gilbert recalls. “We trusted each other. We believed in each other and we know when we walked out on the court together we would not be defeated.”

by cmolina

Jeff High’s newest club is all about inclusion and acceptance

This time last year, junior Matthew Begin was talking to his friend Noah Fetter, who attends Silver Creek High School.

While their talk encapsulated many different topics, unity and acceptance of others was at the forefront.

As their conversation continued, they began discussing the possibility of creating a club to unite different LGBT friendships, and educating students on mental health that is not taught in the traditional system.

Begin asked assistant principal Marianne Fisher her thoughts on starting up a club at Jeff, and she helped him through the initial process. Sophomore Ryan Curry overheard Begin and Fisher talking about it one day, and thought the idea was great and wanted to contribute.

Thus, the team of students created the Jeffersonville High School Gay-Straight-Trans Alliance.

All the club had to do was find a sponsor, and space to have their meetings. Mrs. Virginia Herfel, a counselor, was glad to take the responsibility. The group had their first meeting in the AP conference room on Dec. 6.

The kick-off meeting was met with support, and the members discussed future goals and achievements.

“We are trying to get more sponsors so that we can do things like community service projects,” Begin said. “We also have recently been discussing the possibility of a dance.”

The clubs two main goals are to have fun, and educate the community on the differences of the LGBT and the challenges that they face everyday.

“We want to normalize queer people and not isolate them and make sure that they know it’s okay to be yourself,” Curry said.

Their motto is “providing education and advocation for equality and understanding.”

Begin says that all student are welcomed, even if you would just like to come and support , or attend a meeting to see what they are about. The members are very excited to have this opportunity, and are anxious to see where they go.

by samgatewood