Stand Up Week and Colours Day

By Daisy Crichton, 2nd Year.

The school community in ACS joined in the National Stand Up Awareness Week initiative this week. This is an annual campaign in Ireland by ’Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland’. It’s aim is to combat homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic discrimination. 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. 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 Wednesday there was a Flag-Raising Ceremony where members of the Student Council raised the Rainbow LGBTQ+ flag on the flagpole outside the school. The flag was raised by the Student Council Executive Officers, Chairperson Josh McCole, Deputy Chairperson Jamie Brogan, Secretary Walter Duffy, Treasurer Alex Darcy and PRO Daisy Crichton.

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.

There was a colours theme in many classes during the week, for example Mr. Fox’s Art Class made colourful chalk drawings inspired by Colours Day. Overall it was a very busy, colourful and positive week of solidarity and learning.