Love One Another, a new student-run equality group, is hosting a Day of Silence this Friday, April 20, and fundraising throughout the week to benefit the Trevor Project.

The Day of Silence will take place during the school day from 8:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.  There are collection jars in the cafeteria and the school store, and purple ribbons will be available outside of the academic wing before school on Friday for those who wish to show their support for the cause. To be counted as a participant on a national level, there is an option to sign up at http://www.dayofsilence.org/.

Love One Another President senior Scott Novak does not have a target amount of money to raise, but hopes that members of the club and other people sympathetic to the cause will participate in the fundraising and the silence.

“It isn’t a sacred vow of silence for the day.  You can talk if a teacher calls on you, but we want people to try not to speak,” Novak said.  The administration has said that the day of silence will not take place in the classroom and that students must participate.

According to their website, the Trevor Project is an organization that provides “life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs.”

“It isn’t about how much we raise or who participates, it’s about spreading awareness,” Novak said.

Martha Schick is a Managing Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.