On Wednesday, October 2nd, 11 students met for the first No Place for Hate meeting of the school year. Ideas flew around the room about how to achieve the groups goals of creating a safer atmosphere at Monarch, and creating a space where students are not only comfortable with themselves, but proud to be themselves.
Monarch’s No Place for Hate club is more than just a group of students with a common goal. It is, in fact, part of a campaign started by the Anti-Defamation League. There are 21 locations across the country with No Place for Hate organizations, and 50 elementary, middle and high schools with NPFH clubs in Colorado. MoHi’s chapter was started last year by Language Arts teacher Bonnie Katzive and counselor Alex Cyr.
A banner hanging in the school’s entrance hallway is almost unreadable underneath hundreds of student signatures pledging to accept one another as individuals. Underneath the jumble of names, the word RESPECT is emblazoned over the No Place for Hate resolution of respect.
Last year, the club made this banner available to all students to sign, pledging their allegiance to acceptance. This year, the club hopes to gain more members, but more importantly make the students of Monarch feel like a part of No Place for Hate even if they don’t attend meetings.
Emma Gooding-Lord, a member from last year, said “One of my favorite things about the club is how it’s main goal is to help make Monarch a more accepting environment.” Some of the exciting activities planned for the club this year include teaming up with other school clubs to help spread No Place for Hate’s message to a wider variety of students. “I am looking forward to this year because we will also be working with MoHi 360 to really get our message out to the underclassmen.” said Gooding-Lord
With these exciting new ventures underway, No Place for Hate is looking forward to a successful second year.
