Inside one of Ripon High’s biggest clubs, introducing GSA! GSA, aka Gender-Sexuality Alliance, is one of the high schools biggest clubs with just over 70 members! 

“I wanted to make sure and ensure that people have a safe place because everybody deserves to have that safe space. Because it is something that some people have just inherently and some people have to fight for it, and I think that sucks and I wanted to be the person to fight for it.” said President Leah Van Dorst, senior.

The goal for the club is very simple, providing a safe space for those associated with or in support of the LGBTQ+ students at Ripon High. 

The officers helping run this club, you may ask. The club officers include President Nick Van Dorst, senior, Vice President Ash Franco-Carreno, junior, Secretary Skye Waibel junior, Treasurer Bryan Ochoa, senior, Social Media Correspondent Faith Harvey, junior, Creative Director Ollie Roberts, freshman, and Discord Admin Karis Chapin, senior. So what do they do? The President who over sees and owns the club, and the Vice President who works closely alongside the President. The Secretary is in charge of organization and relaying information to the rest of the officer team. The Treasurer being tasked with budget and money management within the club. Creative Director being in charge of arranging events and such related to the club. The Social Media Correspondent being in charge of all social media accounts under the club and pushing information to the public about events. And, last but not least, the Discord Admin being in charge of governing the club’s discord server and making sure that is running smoothly. 

What social media platforms may this club be on? Let’s ask the club’s very own Social Media Correspondent, Faith Harvey. 

“We have Instagram where we mainly post reminders about meetings, any pictures from club events when we may participate in or have, as well as meeting pictures in general. We also did an officers post and for Pride Month we posted prominent LGBTQ figures.” said Harvey

The club’s instagram is an active account that is continually posted on and updated by Harvey herself. The official GSA Instagram accounts are @riponhighgsa and @rhsgsaclub. 

“We also have an active Discord server,” said Harvey. 

A really big part of the club is the Discord server. That is where most information is most quickly pushed out to members as well as a place for the members to freely interact. It is looked over by all of the officers and, most importantly, the Discord Admin, Karis Chapin. Chapin has been in the club since her freshman year and is the one who started the Discord actually. Chapin’s job? Let’s ask her!
“I own the server so I’m able to make channels, take away channels, and if somebody wants another channel made, say like another memes channel, I could make that. Moderators monitor content sent in the chat so if there’s something inappropriate it’s usually me who catches it first in general, so basically just general moderation is my job I guess.” said Chapin.

The Discord server is constantly monitored and made a safe space for all those members. The only way of receiving an invite to the server is through one of the officers and has a verification process so it is safe from potential online raiding and such. GSA, a safe place within Ripon High!