Press release from the Asheville Chapter of the Awesome Foundation:
The Asheville Chapter of the Awesome Foundation is proud to announce our first grant winner ever.
Two local teachers, Steve and Jamie Shell, created Signs of Acceptance, an organization providing physical signs to put in schools and other locations that will be “focused on giving gender non-conforming students a safe space as well as promoting awareness of trans and non-binary issues.”
After reviewing over two dozen applicants from the arts, social services, and budding entrepreneurs,
we chose this project because it was inspired by local teachers, can have a positive impact on our community in a short period of time, and will help make Asheville even more awesome! The project received a check for $1,000 on Thursday to be used to print and send these signs to schools, churches and other organizations that request them.
we chose this project because it was inspired by local teachers, can have a positive impact on our community in a short period of time, and will help make Asheville even more awesome! The project received a check for $1,000 on Thursday to be used to print and send these signs to schools, churches and other organizations that request them.
Steve and Jamie Shell are teachers and advocates for students in western NC as well as young people as a whole. Jamie is a Spanish teacher at TC Roberson in Asheville and Steve is an English teacher at The School of Inquiry and Life Science at Asheville. They believe that not accepting kids for who they are sucks and that ALL classrooms should be places where students are safe and respected.
More details as well as graphics for their project can be found here:
http://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/projects/57630-signs-of-acceptance
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