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Arts and crafts, face painting and games relating to and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community was enjoyed by students at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) during its first annual Pride Fest held Wednesday, March 22. 

“Our social justice class completed a unit on student-led organizations,” said Bridget Nelson, CHS faculty associate, English. “The students created presentations and arguments based on research they conducted. Then the students voted for the best organization. They chose the GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance).” 

“The class felt that students at our school, who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies, are in need of a safe space where they can be supported,” continued Nelson. “The social justice class then worked to figure out what would be the best way to present this new GSA group to our school community. They decided on hosting a Pride Fest.” 

The idea behind the Pride Fest was to help inform students about the LGBTQIA+ community, invite them to join the GSA and to have FUN, according to Nelson. 

"It was fun, and it was great seeing everyone interacting, participating and getting information on our new GSA group,” said CHS junior D’Asha Thomas. “Our class did a really good job preparing for this event and making sure we gave some good information to the school." 

The festival included: 

• An information table with a "What is the GSA" card that had a QR code to connect people to the sign-up form for the GSA
• Teacher resources for their classrooms
• A game table with Twister, rainbow bowling, and a set of Pride-themed Uno cards. All games involved learning about the colors of the Pride flag
• Students won prizes for participation
• A collaborative art project with students coloring geometric squares, which were added to a giant foam board and placed in the outline of two hands in the shape of a heart
• A candy table with bags of colorful candy, and a tag attached to each with different definitions of LGBTQIA+ terms
• Face painting
• Hair tinsels
• A TikTok account where students could contribute videos from the event 

“I am incredibly proud of the students in my class,” praised Nelson. “They really took on this event as their own, and made their vision come true. I know from talking to a few students who came to the event that this was a powerful way to communicate our support of the LGBTQIA+ community.” 

“It was great, because I was having a bad day,” said CHS freshman Jayda Batee. “When I walked into the Pride Fest, I was happy. I'm glad the class decided to do something about Pride." 

The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.  

Photos:
(Left) CHS seniors Rickale Green (left) and Hosea Person sit in front of their candy table. (Right) Green explains the definitions on the tags of the candy to inquiring students. 

(Left) GSA information table put together by CHS juniors Damani Jones and A'Khyra Allen. (Right) From left to right: Jayla Jones, CHS sophomore, and JaKaria Jackson, CHS junior, and CHS freshman Daishon Anthony color square tiles for collaborative art project.