D.C. middle school gets $10,000 grant for LGBTQ club, books, mural

A D.C. public charter school has received a $10,000 grant to fund LGBTQ clubs, books and a mural project for students in grades 5-8.

The It Gets Better Project, a Los Angeles-based LGBTQ advocacy group, announced this week that Center City Public Charter Schools’ Petworth campus in Northwest is among 50 middle schools and high schools out of 128 applicants nationwide to receive a grant.

Center City will use the $10,000 to create a Gender Sexualities Alliances club for each grade level and train administrators in LGBTQ advocacy as students use the money, the group said in an email.

“Throughout the year, they will take on three projects: a student-created mural project, training for administrators, and adding LGBTQ+ books to each classroom library,” It Gets Better said in a statement.

Petworth’s LGBT faculty advisor was unavailable to comment on the project’s details.

Another local grant recipient is Hammon High School in Columbia, Maryland, which the group said will “create a Rainbow Conference for students, staff, parents, and community.”