Gay and lesbian youth are at greater risk for school failure than heterosexual children.

1. Gay and lesbian youth are at • greater risk for school failure • than heterosexual children. 

2. Academic failure, lack of student involvement and low commitment to school are profound in gay and lesbian youth because schools are rarely safe, healthy or productive places for them to learn.

3. Approximately 28% of gay and lesbian youth drop out of high school because of discomfort (due to verbal and physical abuse) in the school environment. • Gay students hear anti-gay slurs • as often as 26 times each day; • faculty intervention occurs in • only about 3% of those cases. • 27% of gay and lesbian youth • have been physically hurt by • another student. • More than 64% of LGBT • students say they feel unsafe • at school because of their • sexual orientation.

4. Suicide is the leading cause of death among gay and lesbian youth. • Gay and lesbian youth are 2 to 6 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. • Over 30% of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth.

5. Few administrators discipline students for name-calling and harassment of gay and lesbian students. • In a typical class of 30 students, 8 students (27% of the class) will be directly affected by homosexuality of self, one or more siblings, or one or both parents. • Over 50% of national youth servicing organizations report that they do not have services or resources in place to educate youth on sexual orientation or to support gay and lesbian youth. **National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute Report

6. Rainbow Connection

7. ToconnectLGBT students with others who have gone through what they are going through. To connect high school faculty and staff with the reality of LGBT harassment and its effects on students. To connect LGBT students with heterosexual students in a common bond of tolerance. To connect struggling LGBT students with advocates and support.

9. Educate

10. In order to effectively make a difference, a variety of speakers need to give a surplus of information to educate on the truths behind many stigmas that the LGBT community faces. It may be difficult to get these people to travel with us, so our organization plans to work around busy schedules or record interviews to be played for the audience.

11. Speakers Neil Giuliano, mayor of Tempe, Arizona and current president of GLAAD Phyllis Lyon, founder of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian rights group in the United States. Ellen Degeneres, talk show host and television personality, gay rights activist Homosexual students, peers of the students or speakers who are close in age This will help students to relate to the speakers and get a first-hand account of the discrimination and defamation that homosexuals face, especially in high school. *Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_rights_activists#United_States_of_America

12. Topics The science of homosexuality The most recent information on the genetics behind homosexuality The clinical depression that occurs from intolerance The homosexual stigma in the United States compared to other Western and G8 countries Attitudes and assumptions that often accompany bigotry against the LGBT community. Resistance of stereotypes/Tolerance How to end harassment and tolerate—if not celebrate—diversity

13. For a follow up program, surveys will be left for first period classes to be handed out and sent back to us. That way the students could give us feedback on their current feelings and what proved to be successful. This way we can continue to adapt and progress.

14. Support

15. OtherServices The Rainbow Connection Hotline Hotline connects callers with real people 24/7 who are trained in suicide prevention, depression help, and knowledge of other sources of help Openly gay volunteers to relate and share with callers Help lines and other services Hopeline, 1-800-SUICIDE, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK

16. Advocate

17. PublicizingRainbow Connection Magazines YGA Magazine (Young Gay America) The New Gay Teenager Teen Vogue, Teen Ink, Teen Magazine, Seventeen Online DowneLink.com – Social Networking site YGAmag.com Outproud.org

18. Finances Primary finances will come from a sponsoring business Similar speaking organizations have sponsors that help pay for expenses There are 259 pro-homosexual businesses that scored a perfect 100% on the human rights campaign Corporate Equality Index These businesses include: Abercrombie and Fitch, AT&T , Barnes and Noble, Campbell Soup Co., Ford, Motorola, Starbucks, Target, Walt Disney, and Xerox Private donations **MoneyNetDaily’s list of America’s pro-homosexual giants **Why Try? Organization website

19. WhyTry?program The Why Try? program was created to improve retention, academic performances, and school climate in high schools Why Try? runs in high schools and middle schools and has a pilot program in elementary school The program promotes fairness for all students Why Try? sponsors organizations that promote learning conditions for all students Barriers: The Why Try? program is usually added to existing courses in school, not as a seminar **Why Try? Organization website

20. Barriers Political views Some heads of schools, communities, or parents might have conflicting political views on homosexuality Religious views Some students, parents, administrators, etc. might have religious beliefs that do not respect homosexuality Homophobia The Rainbow Connection may be misinterpreted  as a homosexual “recruitment” effort instead of a tolerance effort. Stigma of LGBT students

21. HowtoOvercomeBarriers The Rainbow Connection is an effort to spread sexual/gender identity tolerance among high schools. In no way, does the Rainbow Connection push the creators’, representatives’, or speakers’ political or religious views on the audiences. We will start in more culturally diverse public high school that thrive through tolerance.

22. HowWeAreDifferent? Gay Straight Alliance A student-run club that brings together LGBTQ students and straight students to provide support for each other We aim to connect the school as a whole "What We Do | Gay-Straight Alliance Network." Home | Gay-Straight Alliance Network. Web. 15 Dec. 2009. <http://gsanetwork.org/what-we-do>.

23. Differences Continued • GLADD • “is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.” • We are focusing on the homophobia in the schools instead of the media "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) - Mission Statement." Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) - Home. Web. 11 Dec. 2009. <http://www.glaad.org/mission>.

24. Continued... • PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays • “promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support” • We are looking to support LGBT students in their schools PFLAG: Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Web. 11 Dec. 2009. <http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=237>.

25. Conclusion Our organization’s primary goal is to focus on eliminating the stigma that LGBT students and individuals currently face in high school and beyond. By educating the community on this topic, Rainbow Connection hopes to eliminate homophobia and discrimination and create a sense of unity within the schooling system.