GLSEN’s Newest National Student Leaders Gather in Philadelphia

NEW YORK – GLSEN is proud to announce its fifth annual Jump-Start National Student Leadership Team training, Summer START, which will take place July 6-10 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Fifty middle and high school student leaders from across the country, including as far away as Alaska and Hawaii, have been selected to participate in Summer START. The trainings will focus on safer schools organizing skills including: anti-oppression, direct action organizing, facilitation, leadership and teamwork.

“GLSEN’s student leadership program works in direct partnership with youth to create safer schools for all students,” said Kevin Jennings, GLSEN Founder and Executive Director. “Without the central role student leaders play in GLSEN’s mission, we could not realize our vision of a future in which students respect all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

“These trainings are an exciting beginning to the Jump-Start team’s year-long effort to create safe schools in their local communities and beyond as part of a national movement to end anti-LGBT bullying and harassment.”

GLSEN’s Jump-Start team, or Jump-Start 2006-2007 National Student Leadership Team, is a group of 50 middle and high school student leaders from all walks of life who use their knowledge and expertise to organize and support students and adult allies around the country. The 50 students were selected from a nationwide application process.

About GLSEN GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on our educator resources, research, public policy agenda, student organizing programs or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.