GLHS SAGA Club
Berkeley Heights Public Schools
Since March 2016, the SAGA Club (Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club) at GLHS has worked to fulfill their primary mission to make LGBTQ+ individuals feel safe, accepted, and included at Governor Livingston High School and in the surrounding community.
The SAGA Club had a very successful 2021-2022 school year, culminating in a very busy Pride month this June.
Early in the year, SAGA Club members held a Support Zone “lunch and learn” session for staff members with the goal to raise awareness and offer suggestions on how staff can offer support to students. The Support Zone initiative is a student-led program that was launched in 2019. In addition, staff and student information sessions on LGBTQ topics were offered throughout the year on a variety of topics.
Pride Month is a global celebration held each year in June to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising and honors LGBTQ+ people and the struggle for their rights. This year, the SAGA Club planned many exciting events to celebrate. Members attended a staff meeting to talk about Pride month and was supported by GL staff with a dress-down day. Staff showed their support by wearing Pride buttons and displaying flags in their classrooms. The club additionally partnered with the Berkeley Heights YMCA and the Berkeley Heights Diversity Council for the Berkeley Heights Pride Celebration on June 16th, an annual event that began in 2017 at the suggestion of the club. It has since grown into a popular community event.
A brand new exciting and fun event was the first (and hopefully annual) GL SAGA Club Pride Dance. Over 40 students attended this colorful, fun-filled event at GLHS and enjoyed dancing, karaoke, snacks and games.
Other activities included morning announcements, sidewalk chalk art in front of the school, Pride goodie bag sales (which sold out!), and a bake sale to benefit The Trevor Project.
Photo by BHPS
