School Choice Celebration to Elevate LGBTQ+ and Allies Student Voices, Showcase Local Schools

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Jan 19, 2023, 20:36 ET

Free event to feature performances, entertainment, and keynote speaker Celeste Lecesne of the Trevor Project

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PROUD Academy, in partnership with schools around New Haven and Fairfield Counties, will elevate student voices and celebrate how school choice empowers students and families at a showcase on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The event, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Southern Connecticut State University's ballroom, will feature a welcoming by SCSU President Joe Bertolino, lively student performances, as well as a panel discussion with PROUD Board members, teachers, students, and parents, to share how school choice can impact their lives, and answer questions about PROUD Academy.

Actor, author, and screenwriter Celeste Lecesne, best known for the Academy-award-winning short film "Trevor," will share keynote remarks at the event. An additional guest appearance may include Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell, the first out, gay, black elected official in this position in the country.

Local community groups, such as PFLAG and PRISM Counseling, will have information tables highlighting how they can support families. Youth groups from Ice the Beef and Elephant in the Room Boxing Club will perform. More than 350 community members, including local legislators, are expected to attend the free celebration.

This event is planned to coincide with the celebration of National School Choice Week 2023, which will feature tens of thousands of school choice celebrations across all 50 states. Another flagship event in Connecticut will be New Haven Public School District's virtual school choice expo on Saturday, Jan. 28.

"Too many children go to school every day in environments where they do not learn. PROUD Academy will be a safe and affirming space for ALL students, particularly those in marginalized populations due to their sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, religion, socioeconomic status, or disability, where they will be free to learn and to just be kids," said Patricia A. Nicolari, founder and executive director of PROUD Academy. "We aim for an environment free of bullying and harassment with policies and practices that will be a model for schools across the state and beyond."

PROUD Academy's goal is to open and operate a private school for grades 7-12 that supports a diverse population inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, religion, socioeconomic status, or disabilities.

Southern Connecticut State University is located at 501 Crescent St. Head to the Adanti Student Center Ballroom for the event.

For more information, visit to Register for this FREE event on our website at www.proudacademyct.org

National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home schooling. Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities. The Week is a project of the nonpartisan, nonpolitical National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

SOURCE National School Choice Week