First Catholic students to win Rocky Campana scholarship for work in LGBTQ community
Students will each receive $1,500 for their post secondary education
Two Windsor students are the first in the Catholic school system to receive a scholarship designed to recognize young people's work within the LGBTQ community.
Katie Butler and Alyssa Lauzon both received the Rocky Campana Annual GSA Leadership Memorial Scholarship on Monday.
"It's a big honour, especially because we're the first Catholic school recipients," said Butler. "It shows a lot of progress."
The students will each receive $1,500 for their post secondary education.
Nancy and Rob Campana started the scholarship five years ago after their son Rocky died by suicide.
"The Catholic board was not on board for a while and that was one of our goals — try and get the Catholic board to be a part of the GSA, and get GSAs to make schools safe in the Catholic board," Rob said.
Lauzon was recognized for her role in starting the gay straight alliance at F.J. Brennan Catholic Secondary School. She is also heavily involved in suicide awareness programs at the school.
"I was jumping up and down literally when I got it," she said of the moment she learned about the scholarship.
Butler is also heavily involved in the gay straight alliance at St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School. Butler worked tirelessly to provide a safe space for LGBTQ students after hate speech was spray painted in the school's parking lot.