January 2011 Vol. 27No. 4
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Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
Respect for All asselllbly addresses bullying, LGBT issues
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Alumni of all ages relate their experiences with bullying and answer students' questions in the auditorium on January 21.
by Lory Martinez In an effort to raise awareness about cyberbullying and discrimination, several alumni came to speak at a Respect for All assembly in the auditorium on January 21. Tanya Odom, Cochair of the Alumni Association, organized the assembly because of recent attention given in the media to teen suicides caused by bullying:路 - "We all realized that we wanted to connect with the high school to 'do something.' We also then received e-mail messages from some alumni
(Gus Haberstock, '89, among them,) asking what the high school was doing in connection to the topic ofLGBT awareness, and bullying overall,"said Ms. Odom. Alumni who had dealt with discrimination and bullying spoke at the Respect For All assembly. The alumni spoke openly about how --bullying has changed since they were in high school. Marla Lemonik, Class of '99 and cofounder of SAGES, told a story of a friend who came out and how difficult people made it for
her. "I knew Townsend could be doing more to create a路safe space, so we started SAGES and it was about not tolerating intolerance," she said. Tom Postilio, Class of '88, said his coming out experience was not easy either, and that though it was difficult, 20 years later, his family supports his decision. "It was a process, but it got better every passing year," he said. Ms. Lemonik also addressed the change in forms of bullying. She said, "It is far easier to bully someone when they're not in front of continued on page 3
Harris Feud to raise funds benefiting the homeless by Rupeshi Shah "On a cold rainy night this past October, a series of large boxes are tucked in the darkness on the top step of a church in midtown Manhattan. This is where Robbie lives. He is waiting for the Coalitions Grand Central Food Program van. As it arrives with hot meals, Robbie and the other men who sleep in front of the church finish putting their boxes together for the night. Their goal is to create a tight seal to keep the body heat in. " (Client Stories, Coalition for the
Homeless website) Robbie is one of the Coalition for
INSIDE: Huckleberry Finn controversy
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the Homeless' thousands of clients. With housing, job training, emergency food, crisis intervention, and youth programs, the Coalition rescues men, women, and children from poverty. The organization not only helps the homeless survive but also provides them with a support system to better their lives. The Consultative Council has selected the Coalition to be the recipient of 100% of the proceeds from Harris Feud, Harris's second annual game-show-style fundraiser. Since the recent worsening of the economic recession, the number of continued on page 3
MLIT
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New Feature: Club Spotlight see pa;ge 6
Robotics teams pageS
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