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Date: 5/7/2015
EAST?LONGMEADOW – Joseph Piemonte, an East Longmeadow High School (ELHS) senior, is the recipient of the 2015 Elsie Frank Scholarship, an award given to high school students who have improved school climates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and queer (LGBTQ) students.
Piemonte, 18, is one of the founding members and president of the ELHS Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). He helped create weekly meeting plans and organized fundraisers involving the entire school community, including anti-bullying weeks, No Name Calling Week, and the Day of Silence.
“There was an announcement at school one day saying, ‘If anyone would like to start GSA please come to the guidance counselor’ and so I was the only kid who went down there,” Piemonte said. “I got a bunch of my friends to sign up for it too and then we just started the GSA.”
Piemonte said approximately 50 students are involved with the GSA at ELHS.
“A lot of high schools around here have GSAs, but they don’t accomplish what they should,” he added. “I know a few GSAs around here only have like six members and are fizzling out. One school has like three members.”
The scholarship will be awarded to Piemonte by the Greater Boston Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer people (PFLAG) along with nine other high school-age youth from across the Commonwealth during PFLAG’s Pride and Passion benefit on May 11 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.
“On behalf of Greater Boston PFLAG, we are honored to recognize Joseph for making a significant difference in the lives of LGBTQ students,” Greater Boston PFLAG President Tom Bourdon stated in a press release. “Joseph’s dedication, motivation and passion are making it better now for LBGTQ youth and we commend Joseph for making LGBTQ causes a priority in school and in the community.”
Piemonte told Reminder Publications he hopes to study business at Suffolk University or Bridgewater State University and to later start a business focused on aiding the creation of high school GSAs that “can last under good leadership” and plan events such as pride?proms.
“With all the effort I’ve put into my school, I can say with much confidence that not only have I made the school better for the LGBT community, but for everyone in it,” he stated.
Greater Boston PFLAG has been providing bullying and violence prevention services as well as fostering LGBTQ advocacy and community support for more than 21 years, according to the organization. It has been awarding scholarships to high school students since 1998.