My name is Rose Golonka and I’m the secretary of the Charles E. Jordan High School SASH Club, which was founded by my older brother and sister in 2022. Our club would like to share some of the accomplishments and events we have had this year, as well as ones we plan to have in the future!
Power Topics
We have used the National SASH Club Power Topics as resources to empower our members with information on how they can enforce their boundaries, help survivors, and shift the culture in our school. During our weekly meetings, we review Power Topics such as boundaries and consent and Title IX. Hopefully we’ll be able to branch outside of the club and educate even more students later in the year!
Title IX
This past summer, our founder and co-president Jane Golonka attended Girls Learn International Summer Activist Training Camp, and she selected Title IX awareness as her focus. Title IX is a civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives funding from the federal government. It’s incredibly important to SASH Club that students remain informed about their rights and aware of changes to Title IX that may affect them and others, specifically girls and other gender minority students.
Raising money for community crisis center
Our SASH Club hosted a booth at our school’s fall market. We had a pop-up thrift store, which was possible thanks to those who donated clothes. It was a hit and we raised over $300 dollars! All of the money we raised was donated to Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC), which provides free and confidential services to survivors including emergency shelter, crisis interventions, legal advocacy, counseling referrals, and support groups to community members in need. The organization’s Rape Prevention Education Coordinator will be joining us at an upcoming meeting to discuss best practices for prevention and education efforts.
Valentine-making event for Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month
On Tuesday, February 11th, SASH Club hosted a Valentine’s Day event full of confections, crafts, and community! We had an amazing turnout and spent the whole morning making cards for loved ones, along with signs in relation to teen dating violence prevention month. It was a great time and an amazing way for our club to spread the message “Love Shouldn’t Hurt!”
Planning Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April is sexual assault awareness month, and SASH Club has big plans! We hope to set up a Denim Day, where students wear denim to combat victim blaming and educate others about sexual violence. We have members writing articles to raise awareness in the school newspaper (Falcon Post), and possible speakers coming in to discuss the topic with students. We will be working to raise awareness one student at a time!
Stay tuned for more updates!