Students reintroduce GSA Club at West Fargo High

Kyra Suder, Staff Writer
April 4, 2017

In the fall of 2016, juniors Jack Sadat and Kaylee Morlan approached West Fargo High School Spanish teacher Eric Espinoza about being a faculty sponsor for restarting the Gay-Straight Alliance Club, or GSA. Both students were a part of Sheyenne High School’s GSA Club and wanted to reintroduce it to West Fargo High School. The first GSA Club at WFHS existed in 2009.

“The purpose of the club is to provide a space in the school where LGBT and straight students can openly connect without judgement,” Sadat said.

Espinoza agreed to be the clubs sponsor and the group got the club approved and ready to go.

“This year our goal has been to learn what the needs are for the students who wanted to have the club and how to best meet those goals,” Espinoza said.

An average meeting consists of LGBTQ and heterosexual students talking about current events and spending time together.

Senior Clarissa Meyer has been involved in the club since it was introduced to West Fargo High and sees it as a place where all students can feel important.

“I think that the purpose is to just help the LGBTQIA+ youth at this school feel appreciated and involved,” Meyer said.

Morlan thinks the club has been beneficial to her because she has been able to meet new people and help out in other ways as well.

“GSA has helped introduce me to students I may not have known before and has helped me to be more active in other causes I am passionate about,” Morlan said.

One of Sadat and Morlan’s goals in reintroducing the club to the school was to create a space where students of all affiliations could feel accepted.

“Overall we definitely strive to make the space free of any judgement, whether it is towards LGBT or straight students, hence the name Gay-Straight Alliance” Sadat said.