Ohio's School of One opens inside LGBT Center, prioritizing an inclusive learning environment
The following story about the LGBT Center
For many students, growing up comes with the typical worries, like figuring out who you are and fitting in, especially when it comes to attending school. But thanks to the School of One, located inside of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, standing out is the new normal.
In collaboration with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, The School of One opened in 2020 and offers a unique and customizable learning experience to its students.
“It's your plan. Somebody can come in here at a tenth-grade level and get really focused and knock it out and graduate in a year with full school credit,” said Gulnar Feerasta, the Director of Programming at the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland.
The first of its kind in the nation, the school provides traditional academic lessons, as well as direct access to social workers, doctors, and mental health professionals who not only look like the students they serve, but have also shared life experiences.
“Visibility matters, being seen for who you are, being celebrated as who you are, as your authentic self matters,” explained Feerasta.
According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more than 60 percent of LGBT identifying students have experienced symptoms of depression, that's compared to nearly 30 percent of their heterosexual, cisgender peers--highlighting the need for inclusive, affirming, and diverse spaces.
“It's so important that our youth have the opportunity, just like all youth to be in a safe, affirming environment," Feerasta explained. "Often people assume that schools are that environment, but for LGBTQ youth, it's often the opposite.”
READ: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/community/turning-point/ohio-school-opens-inside-lgbt-center-school-one-one-lgbt-center-of-greater-cleveland/95-17c684a6-5dfe-4670-8b2f-eccb26dbb2dd