SAN DIEGO -- Last February an important conference focused on educating school counselors and educators of K-12 LGBTQI students, made its debut here in San Diego to a wide audience, with national and even international attendees.

After the recent rash of suicides and tremendous public outcry and attempts to reach these at risk youth, the upcoming second annual conference couldn’t come at a more important time.

An important focus at the right time

This year’s conference is called “Solution to a Crisis: Supporting Students - Saving Lives Empowering School Counselors and All Educators to Support our LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Ally) Youth."

That is not only a new name – which also reinforces the mission of the conference - but they’ve also completely revamped their website to more accurately reflect and support everything the conference has to offer.

The Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL), host of the 2010 conference, is directed by Dr. Trish Hatch and her graduate students from at the School Counseling Program at San Diego State.

CESCal's mission:

"to promote excellence in the field of school counseling and to assist school counselors, and their site and central office administrators, as they design, implement and evaluate their school counseling programs to best meet student needs."

Hatch, a long-time school counselor herself before becoming Associate Professor at SDSU, had long realized that LGBTQI students were being disenfranchised - and primarily because of the lack of resources available to their counselors and educators. As a result, last year she and her CESCaL team decided to pull as many of those resources together as possible and create this conference, with the hopes of bridging the gaps that currently exist for so many at-risk students.

There is no denying the facts

Everyone knows that children spend a tremendous amount of time at school and how impactful it is on their lives as a whole. The social experience in itself can be tough on anyone. When they are bullied or teased, they need a safe space and they need an advocate on campus. If their home is not a safe or supportive environment, they may also need to seek out another adult to fill that void.

LGBTQI students experience these issues ten-fold, and in many cases, experience them long before they even understand or acknowledge their own identity.

School counselors are in the most opportune position to be that necessary advocate, but most don’t have the understanding or the resources available at their fingertips to provide assistance and the advocacy required. Others may not reach out to a child in need because they let their religious beliefs get in the way – something that is also addressed at the conference - the need to be objective.

According to a Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey done in 2006, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.

Yet another study in 2009, "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes" conducted as part of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, reports that LGBT kids rejected by their families were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (2003) found that for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made. These are all alarming statistics.

With greater self-confidence, students have greater attendance rates, higher grade point averages, and lower instances of behavior problems; something educators should want for every child.

"Educators focus on data; they have it, it's there, but they are not responding to it," explained Hatch. "Why? Is it knowledge or attitude? The fact of the matter is, we have an ethical responsibility to be change agents for ALL students."

Last year's conference made an impact on nephew of Harvey Milk

The first conference, also held last February in Mission Valley, was an attempt to test the waters and not yet chartered as an annual event, but was a tremendous success. It drew not only experts from across a wide spectrum of fields relative to LGBTQI issues, but also top notch speakers, including Chaz Bono, Stuart Milk, Olympian Mary Ellen Clark and Shane Windmeyer, to name just a few.

Milk, openly gay nephew of Harvey Milk and founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, was so impressed with last year's conference that during his keynote speech on its final day, he proposed a challenge: to make this an annual event.

Dr. Hatch and the CESCaL team accepted that challenge. Since then, Milk has worked closely with Dr. Hatch to plan this year’s conference and The Harvey Milk Foundation is co-sponsoring.

"This was intended to be a one-time event," explains Dr. Hatch, "but the need is too great and the message too important; the time is now. We must educate [those in the school systems] how to be allies and advocates for our youth."

Feedback from last year's conference has helped propel this year's event forward and also incentivize the conference committee. Many who attended last year's conference actually went back to their districts and enforced change; from establishing Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) - many not without controversy - to educating their school districts enough that they agreed to mandate training.

Staff and Agenda in order for February 2011 Event

The 2nd annual conference will be held Feb. 25 - 27, 2011 at the Doubletree Hotel near Hazard Center in Mission Valley.

Hatch and her co-chair Vincent Pompei are already months ahead of last year's planning schedule and are excited for this year's event. Pompei recently moved to San Diego from Temecula after accepting a position as a high school counselor at Val Verde Academy.
Pompei previously taught middle school English in the conservative Inland Empire for eight years. He spent several years as President of PFLAG Temecula Valley chapter and is now involved with Trevor Project, San Diego. Last year Pompei acted as Director of Sponsors and Presenters of the CESCaL conference, even though his only affiliation with the organizers was his desire to be involved. He is thrilled to be taking on a more active role this year.

The target audience for this year's conference includes: School administrators, school counselors, school teachers, policy leaders, parent leaders, student advocates and para professionals.

The preliminary agenda has been set and primary Key-Note speakers have been selected and confirmed.

More than 40 diverse workshops and break-out sessions will cover a wide-range of topics to both empower and provide attendees with the tools, resources, attitude and understanding necessary to go back and put a support system into affect at their own school or district.

Workshop topics include:

Suicide Prevention: The Facts and the Experience

The ABCs of LGBTQIA

The Emotional, Educational and Social Needs of Homeless LGBTQI Youth

Beyond Matthew Shepard: LGBTQ issues in Rural America

Transgender Students: Increasing Safety, Awareness and Inclusion

Latino Issues in LGBTQ Community

Finding our Gay Friendly Colleges

Supporting our LGBTQ Allies

The Human Side of Change; Understanding & Responding to Resistance to LGBTQI Inclusion in Schools

And Many More ...

Special Pre-Conference Workshop - an LGBTQI "Primer"

On Friday afternoon, just before the festivities and other workshops begin, you can take an introductory workshop to help you understand some of the basic key issues surrounding LGBTQI youth. Topics will include terminology, stages in the coming out process, identity development, impact of language and stereotypes, etc.

This is a great way to beef up your knowledge base before the weekend gets underway, but it is limited to 30 people so get your tickets early.

Registration Now Open with Early Bird Prices through Dec. 15th

Registration is now available. Save money by registering early.

Early Bird Price is $199., per person. After Dec. 15th, attendance will be $249.

Graduate students can also take advantage of early bird prices; through Dec. 15th they may purchase tickets for $129., after that tickets will cost $159. Presenters will also have a discounted price at this time.

Registration not only includes the many amazing workshops (some listed above), but also a Friday night welcome reception, a live performance of "Dear Harvey" (a multimedia based performance that recounts the legacy, achievements and vision of Harvey Milk), a "Cultural Plunge" event (offering attendees a "night on the town" in Hillcrest - the gay mecca of San Diego), continental breakfast both days, and lunch on Saturday.

Attending counselors, educators and presenters can also purchase additional tickets to allow their spouses or significant others to participate in the Special Events.

The Doubletree host hotel is also offering a special conference price of $99. per night.

Become a Sponsor

There are various ways you can sponsor; one of the easiest and most beneficial ways is that you can send a school counselor or educator to the conference, who might not otherwise be able to attend, for $249.

If this cause is important to you and you wish to do more, you or your business and/or organization can become a Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond sponsor. See the CESCaL website for more details on sponsorship.

Exhibitors Welcome and encouraged

In between the workshops, during breaks and lunchtime there will be an exhibit area for attendees to visit. If you wish to be an exhibitor, contact events@cescal.org or visit the website for more information.

Key Note Speakers and Presenters

Chely Wright is a country music chart-topper who came out earlier this year - with a new CD and autobiography that outlined her journey - to a whirlwind of media exposure. Since that time she has jumped into support of LGBT issues with both feet and is currently the National Spokesperson for Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

L. Stuart Milk is the nephew of the great Harvey Milk, and is founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation. Milk travels the world to spread awareness of LGBT issues and is a senior leader in the policy and programs for underprivileged and at-risk youth around the world. The Milk Foundation is co-sponsor of the conference.

Eliza Byard is the Executive Director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), champions of the national Safe Space Campaign. GLSEN is a major sponsor of this year's conference.

Dr. Caitlin Ryan is the Director of the the Family Acceptance Project. Dr Ryan is a clinical social worker who has worked on LGBT health and mental health since the 1970s. She wrote the first comprehensive guide to health and mental care for lesbian and gay youth, called: Lesbian & Gay Youth: Care & Counseling.

The complete list of speakers is too long to list here, but many others will be on hand, including a woman who lost her own son to gay bullying, school counselors at the university levela, and various other prominent advocates for LGBTQI youth. Those currently confirmed are identified on the website and other speakers and/or presenters may still be added, so stay tuned.

For more information about conference registration, the speakers, the workshops and special events, or to download the registration form, visit the Conference website. You may also request information via email at events@cescal.org.

Stay tuned for more details and information here in SDGLN as it becomes available.

Harvey Milk Foundation

L. Stuart Milk formed Not-for-Profit Harvey Milk Foundation to advise, assist and support LGBT rights organizations, movements and advocates worldwide. Its primary mission is to help achieve equality through the story and message of his late Uncle in all corners of the globe and to fulfill Harvey’s dream of a world without discrimination and a world without hate. The cornerstone of this critical mission is the inspiring story of Harvey Milk and his example of building bridges with other diverse, often marginalized communities along with putting a very real and identifiable human face on the quest for LGBT equality.

Harvey Milk was a long-time gay activist and newly elected San Francisco Supervisor in his first year of office when he was gunned down on Nov 27, 1978 by his political rival, former Supervisor Dan White at City Hall. White also took the life of Mayor George Moscone that day. In Oct. 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill proclaiming May 22 Harvey Milk Day.

Morgan M. Hurley is the Copy Editor for SDGLN. She can be reached at (877) 727-5446, ext 710 or via email at morgan@sdgln.com.