Acceptance Week:
a Resounding Success

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2022

Contact: Cameron Bartosiewicz; president@ypapride.org

Acceptance Week: a Resounding Success

SIMI VALLEY, CA (March 22, 2022) – The Youth Pride Association's inaugural Acceptance Week program was a resounding success. The program works to model a safe and affirming campus climate for LGBTQ students in high schools through education, support, and advocacy. The pilot program was operated at Royal High School (RHS) from February 28th to March 4th.

All 101 pride flags provided for the program were hung in classrooms at RHS. The flags were optional for teachers to hang in their classrooms, however, the flags were still in very high demand with flags running out on the first day. Nearly 70 pride flags are still hanging in classrooms at RHS. All 100 SAFE space stickers were also distributed to classrooms at RHS.

Students were given the option to provide anonymous open feedback for the program. The following are quotes are from students:

• "I hope this can be done yearly at our school, it was really needed and very informative," said a junior student at Royal High School.

• "Such a great program!! I’m so glad it was such a success," said a senior student at Royal High School.

“While there was some hateful and misinformed outcry from a very small minority of Simi Valley community members, the reception of the Acceptance Week program at Royal High School from students, parents, teachers, faculty, and administrators was overwhelmingly positive,” said Cameron Bartosiewicz, President at the Youth Pride Association. “The program was an outstanding success, exceeding all metrics and expectations. This program had a positive impact on reducing the disparities LGBTQ students face in schools. The data speaks for itself, the Acceptance Week program is effective in creating a safe and accepting environment for LGBTQ students in high schools."

With the success of the pilot program, the Acceptance Week program is set to expand operations in high schools across the country in the coming 2022-2023 academic year.

Students were surveyed to determine the efficacy of the program, as well as areas for improvements. Students were asked questions regarding the Acceptance Week program on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 - strongly disagree; 5 - strongly agree. Notable results include:

• "The program had a positive impact at my school": 4.11 (±0.29)

• "The program was relevant for students like me": 4.39 (±0.30)

• "The pride flags/banners had a positive impact at my school": 4.39 (±0.24)

• "The posters were relevant to students like me": 3.94 (±0.45)

Below are visual representations of this data

Students were also surveyed to determine the impact of the program. Students were asked after the program to rate the following in terms of accepting LGBTQ students on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 - Not Accepting; 5 - Very Accepting. Notable results include:

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your school?": 3.50 (±0.24)

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your peers?": 3.56 (±0.36)

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your teachers?": 4.28 (±0.22)

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your administrators/faculty?": 3.83 (±0.30)

As points of comparison, students were also asked to rate their local government and local community in terms of accepting LGBTQ students on the same 1 to 5 scale. The results are as follows:

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your local government?": 2.69 (±0.33)

• "In terms of accepting LGBTQ students, how would you rate your local community ?": 2.61 (±0.36)

Below are visual representations of this data

About Youth Pride Association

The Youth Pride Association (YPA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2020, with the mission to promote and foster the acceptance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people in educational institutions. YPA works to address the alarming and substantial adversities LGBTQ youth face in schools through education, support, and advocacy.

Youth Pride Association President, Cameron Bartosiewicz, is available for interviews.

president@ypapride.org

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