Kings High School prides itself on the number of activities it provides to students. From Ping-Pong Club to the Nicholas Cage Club, the district attempts to provide a wide range of extra-curriculars to get all students involved.

Soon another new club will join the plethora of groups listed in Kings’ Student Activities Guide: a Gay-Straight Alliance.

“It’s basically going to be a support group for people who are struggling with gender identity or sexual orientation,” said KHS student Azalea Laverde (pictured, right), the club’s student leader and liaison. 

Despite the tentative name, the group is all inclusive of marginalized orientations, gender alignments, intersex, (MOGAI) and allies. For this reason, Laverde is considering other names such as “Alphabet Club,” which plays off such acronyms as “LGBTQIA”. Other contenders are “Spectrum” and “Human Rights.”

Already a popular club at many area high schools, the formation of a Kings branch comes following the recent death of Laverde’s friend and former Kings student Leelah Alcorn, known to most as Josh. Laverde hopes the club will be a place where students can work collectively to create a space where people don’t have to be afraid of being different.

“I think it’s a time that we should try to form a better understanding of human diversity,” Laverde says.

In her estimation, meetings will “. . . kind of start off more social … team building activities to make everyone more comfortable with each other.“

The club will be sponsored by Ashley Warren, Kings High School science teacher.

“I think it’s really student driven, but that’s the part that I love most about it,” said Warren. “I think there are a lot of people who are really passionate about it. I think it’s important that we’re promoting positivity and showing that everyone is welcome at Kings.”

The GSA proposal has not yet been processed by the Board of Education, but pending approval will be meeting soon, with more details on the schedule available at such time.

In the meantime, anyone with questions can contact Laverde, Warren, Alexa Holland. or Matt Tracy.