GLSEN Announces No Name-Calling Week

Creative Expression Contest Winners

NEW YORK, May 11, 2010 – GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is proud to announce the winners of the 2010 No Name-Calling Week Creative Expression Contest from over 700 entries received from across the country.

The Creative Expression Contest is designed for students ages 5-15 to illustrate how name-calling has affected them and their peers through artistic expression in the form of poetry, artwork, music, video or whatever medium they prefer. The contest coincides with No Name-Calling Week, Jan. 25-29, an annual week of educational activities in elementary and middle schools aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds.

First place winners:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Primary (ages 5-10) – Grace Andre, Richlin Hines, Deon Lloyd, Taylor Oliver, Tanna Jay Whitmore, and Neander Devil from PS/MS 147Q in Cambria Heights, New York.

Their winning entry was an original song entitled, “I Like My Name.”

For a complete list of primary winners, CLICK HERE.

• Secondary (ages 11-15) – Cassiel McEvoy from Tenafly Middle School in Tenafly, NJ for his magazine, “Tween Teen Magazine: The Bullying Issue.” 

For a complete list of secondary winners, CLICK HERE.

"We continue to be impressed every year with the creativity and passion students show in their desire to create school environments where difference is valued and all students are treated with respect," said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. "Congratulations not just to the winners, but to all students who showed us how deeply they care about each other. It’s wonderful to see how this enthusiasm and creativity translates into thoughtful submissions.”

No Name-Calling Week is endorsed by 52 youth-oriented organizations, including the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Girl Scouts of the USA.

About No Name-Calling Week
Coordinated by GLSEN in collaboration with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and 52 national education organizational partners, No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.

About GLSEN:
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

Media provided by: www.GayWebsource.com/wire - Gay Media and Press Network.