On April 20, many Armijo High School students advocated for the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer) society by participating in the National Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) annual day, which is technically scheduled for Friday, April 27. Armijo held it early because of an upcoming school recess day, but students still had the opportunity to spread awareness for the oppressed people who face the effects of bullying for their sexual preferences. Every day, teenagers face harassment and stay silent about their orientation to dodge the societal consequences. The Day of Silence is to advocate for the LGBTQ lives lost, and those continually struggling with the issue. Armijo students dedicated a full school day to a vow to silence in order to symbolically represent the silencing of LGBTQ students.

History of the Day of Silence:

According to Wikipedia: In 1997, Day of Silence went national, with almost 100 colleges and universities participating

In 2000, Maria Pulzetti’s classmates Jessie Gilliam and Chloe Palenchar, and  National Student Organizer Chris Tuttle, developed the proposal for the day to become an official project of GLSEN. GLSEN developed its first-ever “student leadership team” as part of the Day of Silence.

In 2008, the Day of Silence was held in memory of Lawrence “Larry” King, an eighth grader from E.O. Green Middle School who was shot by classmate Brandon McInerney.

In the last several years, over 10,000 participants have registered their participation with GLSEN each year. These participants attend middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities. They include students from all 50 states in the U.S.A.