WEST ORANGE, NJ - West Orange High School’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) helped kick off Pride month on June first with a ceremony and visits to all schools in the District that sprinkled Pride throughout the West Orange Public Schools.

The GSA’s Day of Pride started off with a Pride flag-raising ceremony outside of the Conforti entrance. A speech from President-elect Park Hawley and poetry readings from outgoing Co-President Rocky Zeppa and GSA member Adonis Peart started the ceremony off with a bang.

As West Orange’s own Glee Choir sang the Broadway for Orlando arrangement of “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” the GSA raised the Pride flag on the Conforti pole, letting it wave in the wind and ring in Pride.

After the ceremony, GSA representatives boarded a bus and began their journey around the district to give every school the same Pride flag that was raised at WOHS. During the group’s journey (led by GSA advisors Deb Coen and Jennifer Dahl), every elementary and middle school was visited. Liberty, Roosevelt, and Redwood each held Pride ceremonies in conjunction with WOHS GSA.  Students from those schools, along with GSA members Hawley and Zeppa, as well as Raina Sheriff, shared inspiring and thought-provoking words. At other schools, GSA members were greeted by school administrators, faculty, and student representatives who accepted the gift of the Pride flag on behalf of the student body. 

The day was a huge success that allowed schools throughout West Orange to show their acceptance and unity with the LGBTQ+ community.

This article was written by WOHS student Parker Hawley.

Glee students, GSA, GSA Advisors Jenn Dahl and Deb Coen (second from left and to left of Mayor McCartney), Wendy Mapes and John  Hellyer (third and fifth from left), Mayor Susan McCartney and Principal Oscar Guerrero (right).