The Gay Straight Alliance is selling t-shirts to raise money for future guest speakers and events in the school. Shirts purchased before March 17 are being sold for $18, after which shirts will be sold for $20.

The shirts, designed by GSA adviser Troy Kroft, show the letters ‘GR’ in rainbow font with a panther in between.

“We wanted something that was colorful, that used the rainbow motif, but that was generic enough that anyone can wear it with pride, that didn’t necessarily have to endorse the GSA specifically, but still would show support,” Kroft said. The GSA also wanted to avoid printing any dates on the shirt as they want to continually sell them in years to come.

The money raised with this t shirt fundraiser will be used to help the club promote future assemblies, workshops, and guest speakers. Last year, the club used a portion of their funds made by selling shirts to host an assembly with transgender speaker Leo Caldwell.

This year, the GSA hopes to host another guest speaker, John Mapas, the Director of the Gender and Family Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family based in New York City. Mapas gave a presentation to the Glen Rock Professional Development Academy in February on gender inclusivity.

“We’re hoping to do a workshop with students and possibly a workshop with staff as well about gender inclusivity. But we’re open to other opportunities as well,” Nicole Rusin said, co-adviser of the GSA.

The shirts will be delivered to students the week of April 17, which is Ally Week, a national week encouraging solidarity with the LGBTQ community. The GSA will also encourage students to wear their shirts on Day of Silence on April 21, a national event promoting awareness of bullying and harassment suffered by the LGBTQ community.

According to their mission statement, the GSA “seeks to promote safety, respect, diversity and compassion for all students in Glen Rock regardless of sexual orientation or gender identification.”

Student Vice President of the GSA Camille Kaselow (‘17) believes that the GSA is more than a place of equality and acceptance, it is also an educational resource for students and the community.

“The GSA is such an awesome, amazing club and group of people that is a very helpful resource and welcoming community for many students,” Kaselow said.

In order to profit from these sales, the club needs to sell a certain amount of shirts or the price to make them will go up.

“We might not make money, we might break even, but the idea is to at least make a little,” Kroft said. Kroft is a new adviser to the GSA this year, taking former guidance counselor Dan Brodhead’s place. Rusin has been a co-adviser of the GSA for two years now.

“The goal is not necessarily just to give the money to the group, but to give the money to the community through enrichment,” Rusin said.