Allentown, PA (October 26, 2016) On October 13, William Allen was honored as a “No Place for Hate” designation. The school was presented with a banner from the Anti-Defamation League for their commitment to challenging anti-semitism, racism, homophobia, and all forms of bigotry and bullying.
During the 2015—2106 school year, various William Allen clubs such as the Anti-Bullying Club, Gay/Straight Alliance, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Student Government Association, along with Communities In Schools, completed three projects to bring school-wide awareness to combat against hatred.
The first project students participated in was the 2015 Unity Day – a signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month. For Unity Day, students wore or displayed orange to show support for students who have been bullied. They also created a Unity Day Chain where they wrote comments on orange paper about what they do to help make William Allen a safer place for their peers and/or highlighted a quality that makes them unique and proud of who they are as individuals. The strips were stapled together resulting in one long connected chain that visually represented the power of uniting for a common cause. Students also signed the “Resolution of Respect” to do their best to combat prejudice and discrimination.
Another project completed was the National Day of Silence on April 16, 2016 by the GLSEN. This is a student-led event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students took a vow of silence in an effort to encourage classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment.
The final project the students completed was the Diversity Mural. Students made small canvas pieces of artwork that showcased their individuality, diversity and positive qualities. The canvases were displayed together creating the mural.
All of these projects honored the commitment of William Allen students and staff in their goal to create a school-wide culture that promotes respect for individuals and group differences while challenging prejudice and bigotry.
William Allen High School is located at 106 North 17th Street, Allentown.
About Allentown School District
ASD serves more than 17,000 students in a network of 22 early childhood, elementary, middle and high schools located throughout the City of Allentown, PA. The Allentown School District is the third largest urban school district out of 500 districts in the Commonwealth. A shared vision of the community, parents, guardians, staff and faculty focuses on “Empowering Students for Life,” providing ASD students with the skills and academics they need to realize their aspirations whether they be college, career or technical focus. ASD goals are aligned and compatible with the Pathways to Success Framework while providing a balanced education to all students. Allentown School District employs approximately 2,200 teachers, staff and administrators. The District, founded in 1866 and celebrating its Sesquicentennial throughout 2015-2016, serves students from 43 countries speaking 26 languages with nearly 90 percent of households qualifying as low income. ASD is committed to providing safe learning environments in which all students have equal access to education programs and resources.
www.allentownsd.org
Information provided by:
Kimberly Golden Benner
Director of Communications
Allentown School District
