Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence trainer Cheryl Hamilton and Hebron Academy students Emily Powers of Auburn, Meghan Munroe, Colin Taylor and Mario de la Isla listen to fellow student Eric Rodriguez during the all-school workshop to discuss bias and intolerance.

Hebron Academy celebrates diversity

HEBRON – Hebron Academy students marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard and kicked off “National Ally Week” with an intensive two-day anti-bias program led by trainers from the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence.

During the workshops, students examined the destructive power of verbal harassment, its damaging emotional impact on the students who are targeted, and the potential for verbal harassment to escalate into violence.

At an all-school assembly, individual students and faculty members stood to declare what action they will take to ensure a safe and respectful campus environment, after listening to excerpts from the play, “The Laramie Project,” which chronicles the brutal murder of Shepard and its aftermath.

Activities planned for “National Ally Week” included a student-hosted table with rainbow cupcakes in the lobby of Sturtevant Home dormitory during lunch, where signatures were collected from students and faculty pledging to stop biased and anti-gay language and to intervene in situations where others are being harassed.

“SafeZone” stickers, presently adorning many classrooms and offices, were also ordered by students for dorm rooms and locker areas to indicate a respect of differences.

“The 170 signatures on the pledge poster make a heartwarming statement about the importance of tolerance on our campus,” said Associate Director of Admissions Julie Middleton, who also advises the campus Gay-Straight Alliance. “It has been great to see the student body participating in these conversations and stepping up to be sure that Hebron Academy continues to be an open, accepting community.”