Brick by brick, the walls which divide every student are being broken down. 

Of course, such a large step in student relations is one that takes confidence, empowerment and leadership.

These are the very values that have brought the GRC Diversity Club into being, and give it such significance to all who attend the school.

As with so many great beginnings, a will for unity drove the Diversity Club to sprout.

“The club’s mission is to empower all groups throughout the school,” said faculty sponsor Mrs. Childers. “Even though we all have differences, we can all come together to make a change and better accept each other.”

Lil LeAnn Pankey, visionair of the club, saw this potential. She knew student harmony was a prize she could do her part to work toward, so she sprang into action to form the Diversity Club. 

Now that the club has been formed, she refuses to be satisfied until it has reached its full potential.

Through the diversity club, Lil LeAnn is recognizing struggles every student faces. “It’s sometimes hard to feel like you fit in,” she says.

Diversity Club stands for the belief that “fitting in” does not mean being the same as all those around. It means forming a community that embraces all those around for what makes them different.

Lil LeAnn is certain that through this club, the school can become “more involved with different cultural ethnicities” by becoming more hands on. In order to do this, the club is working to organize a student plan for everyone to work together in helping new students feel welcome.

The courage and initiative required to make these things happen simply don’t appear out nowhere, and for that Lil LeAnn credits the Student Leadership Challenge.

The activities of the Student Leadership Challenge helped her learn to come together with those around her as a team, and provided her with the confidence to promote what she believes in, even when she’s not sure if others believe the same. This is a cause that the school faculty has been more than willing to support. 

“The school took it among themselves to help us create the committee,” Lil LeAnn states. “They listened to the opinions and thoughts we had about it.”

Students and faculty working together to make a difference in the school is a strikingly beautiful occurrence.  

It’s a sight for the entirety of GRC to be proud of.

It’s a vision the Diversity Club continues to work to sustain.

It’s a hope that will never cease to grow so long as students believe they have rightful places as leaders.