This fall, Blue Valley’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and Diversity Club will host a talent show at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 in the Performing Arts Center to raise awareness for their causes, along with money for charity.
GSA president senior Archana Vasa said the club noticed the GSA and Diversity message wasn’t well accepted last year, and they hope to alter the perceptions people may have and promote what they stand for.
“We figured something needed to be done,” she said. “So we decided to try and expand a lot, and we figured the best way to expand was to be doing this fundraiser.”
The students received the idea from Spanish teacher and GSA sponsor Jill Gouger, who once did a talent show for two different groups when she was in high school.
“It was a great way for people, students and faculty alike, to showcase their talents, and for all of us to see people outside of the context of the classroom,” Gouger said.
Diversity Club co-president senior Anna Zheng said she thinks it’s a great way to bring different groups together.
“That’s kind of the whole point of diversity and GSA, kind of just joining together,” she said. “We don’t want to exclude anyone.”
Vasa said she didn’t think one group would be able to pull off the fundraiser alone.
“I thought Diversity Club could really help us,” she said. “Especially because diversity and GSA go hand-in-hand.”
Vasa said many students have already decided they want to help or participate in the show. The club members looked for students with experience to be part of the tech crew and help backstage, staff members to judge the show and students to put on the acts.
Zheng said over the years she’s been at BV, nothing like this has been done.
“It makes me feel good about myself and it makes me feel like I’m making a difference,” she said. “It might not be a big difference, but I just feel like it will help students at Blue Valley feel more welcome and be more involved in things that they normally wouldn’t do.”
Students volunteering for the talent show will receive community service hours for being a part of this event. As for the audience, there will be a $3 charge to get into the show. Friends, family, or peers can join the cast in raising money for charity. The funds the club raises will go to United Way. This appeals to most of the students because it’s a charity that many BV teachers are involved with.
Zheng said the clubs have decided for half of the funds to go to the charity, and the rest will be split between the two clubs.
The judges will narrow it down to five finalists after all of the participants have performed. Then the audience will decide who wins. Gift cards to local businesses will be awarded to first, second and third place winners.