Stand Up Awareness Week in Athboy C.S

Athboy Community School has been awash with colour all week as the school community joined in the National Stand Up Awareness Week initiative. This is an annual campaign in Ireland by ’Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland’. It’s aim is to combat homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying in schools and youth services. It aims to create safe, supportive, and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ young people through educational activities and events. The week encourages solidarity, fun, and learning.  

The Student Council in the school had planned a few things for the week. Resource packs were given to teachers from ‘Belong To’ which they could integrate into lessons throughout the week and beyond. Along with teacher Ms Fitzgerald and her group of volunteers, the GPA was beautifully decked out with colourful flags, banners, bunting and wall hangings to celebrate Stand Up Week. 

On Thursday there was a Flag-Raising Ceremony where members of the Student Council raised the LGBTQ+ flag on the flagpole outside the school. Student Council Class Rep, first year Aaron Flanagan, read out a commemorative speech as the flag was raised by other members of the Council, a speech he also broadcast over the school’s intercom later in the morning. 

Thursday also saw a Colours Day where each Year Group was invited to wear a certain colour from the LGBTQ+ flag in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and to be an advocate for LGBTQ+ young people and champion change. 1st Years wore Red, 2nd Years donned Orange, 3rd years were in Yellow, Transition Years wore Green, 5th Years and LCA1’s were in blue and 6th years and LCA2 wore Purple. The school staff wore green or if they were a Tutor or Year Head some wore the same colour as their Class Group. There was a solidarity group photo taken at the end of lunch break. 

Overall it was a very busy, colourful and positive week of solidarity and learning.