No Place for Hate club “decks the halls”

As the No Place for Hate Club at Meyersdale Area High School enters its second year, members are more committed than ever to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels accepted and respected.

Advisor Mrs. Angel Floyd is partnering with Mrs. Cassie Arnold, MAHS guidance counselor, to coordinate this year’s activities and programming.

“We are teaming up with the Student Ambassador program since we have similar goals,” Floyd explained.

The Student Ambassador leaders just recently met with all those who have been trained previously in order to remind them of the group’s goals. This program focuses on creating secure and safe schools through efforts to strengthen the relationships of staff, students, families and the community.

Thus far, the No Place for Hate club has 15 members but Floyd is confident that number will grow as students learn more about their missions and goals for the MAHS community. The club meets monthly and just recently kicked off an innovative program to secure the following pledges from students:  “I will seek to gain understanding of those different from me; I will speak out against prejudice and discrimination; I will reach out to support those who are targets of hate; I will promote respect for people and help foster a prejudice-free school; I belive that one person can make a difference, no person can be an innocent bystander when it comes to opposing hate; and I recognize that respecting individual dignity and promoting intergroup harmony are the responsibilities of all students.”

“This year, to introduce the pledge, we created a video using students and staff members.  The video and a copy of the pledge was emailed to everyone, grades 6-12.  To show support, students and staff members were asked to type their name at the bottom of the form after watching the video,” Floyd explained. “Those who participated in signing the pledge were entered into a drawing for a gift card.”

During the final days of 2022, members erected a special Christmas tree featuring personalized Christmas ornaments created by members of the middle and high schools.

“This activity was to help students learn about different Christmas traditions around the world and within our student body.  Each student wrote their name on the front of a Christmas ornament.  On the back, they included their favorite Christmas tradition or memory.  The ornaments were then hung on our ‘No Hate’ tree for all students to see,” Floyd said. “We also displayed posters providing details about Christmas traditions in other countries, so students could interact and learn if they chose to do so.”

The No Place for Hate tree was met with great holiday spirit as students lined up to create their own ornament highlighting what makes their Christmas holiday special.

“I think it is important to prioritize the importance of embracing diversity within the school and community. Each student signing an ornament makes a mark on the school and our No Place for Hate club,” explained Avery Logsdon.

The No Place for Hate club plans to hold two additional school-wide events in the coming months, including a No Hate Day. Plans are being finalized to host a day where group members and other students can spread goodwill with random acts of kindness, small gifts for students/staff, and poster displays throughout the school.