Centre LGBT+ expands outreach with new program at Penns Valley Area High School. What to know
Four years after hosting its inaugural National Coming Out Day event in the area, Centre LGBT+ is expanding its outreach into the rural Penns Valley community.
Starting Monday, local nonprofit Centre LGBT+ — which educates about, and advocates for, the LGBTQ+ community — will launch its first after-school program at Penns Valley Area High School. The program is open to high school students and will meet once a week after school.
The program is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Penns Valley Area School District.
Program director Erin Mietus said it will be a mix of fun activities and learning opportunities for both LGBTQ+ students and allies.
“The whole point of the after-school program is to bring students in grades 7-12, those who identify in the queer community and those who are allies, to bring everybody together for about 90 minutes of programming to learn about things like intersectionality and to find a space where we can all learn and grow together and find our own identities and our own place in the world,” Mietus said.
The program was announced Wednesday at the group’s National Coming Out Day celebration, held from 6-8 p.m. at the Penns Valley Area Elementary School, which has remained an important part of Centre LGBT+’s commitment to providing outreach in rural communities.
Michel Lee Garrett, a board member for the organization, said making sure LGBTQ+ adults and teens feel safe and accepted in all communities, especially rural ones, is vital. Studies from The Trevor Project show that rural LGBTQ+ teens are at higher risk for depression and suicide.
“For rural LGBT+ youth, especially growing up in environments that are less supportive and less affirming, unfortunately, leads to a lot of negative outcomes,” Lee Garrett said.
Although there were more groups tabling at the event Wednesday than attendees this year, Lee Garrett said hosting the event in Penns Valley is important in the organization’s mission to serve all communities in Centre County. Hosting events like National Coming Out Day and promoting that type of visibility for the LGBTQ+ community is also important for those who may not yet be out in their own communities, she said.
“If you are scared, if you are questioning, if you are trying to figure it out, if you are standing at the door of the closet and trying to gather the courage to step out, come here; there are people here for you,” Lee Garrett said. “And I think that’s really amazing, and it’s really beautiful.”
