In the wake of the tragic death of Lawrence King, who was shot and killed in a California school on February 12 because of his sexual orientation and gender expression, the need to address anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bulling and harassment in schools is as apparent as ever.

So what can students do?

Perhaps the most effective way to bring about change in your school is to join a Gay-Straight Alliance. More than 3,800 GSAs are registered with GLSEN. To find out if your school has one, ask around or visit www.studentorganizing.org to find a GSA in your area. GSAs are an effective way to spread tolerance and hope. To check out GLSEN's research brief on the benefits of GSAs, click here.

GLSEN also has a fantastic resource on how to start a GSA and what to do once your school has one. It's  called the Jump-Start Guide. Check it out by clicking here.

From Part 1, here are 10 Steps to Start a Gay-Straight Alliance:

Across the country, hundreds of students have started gay-straight alliances (GSAs) and similar clubs dedicated to making schools safer and more inclusive for all students. The 10 easy-to-understand steps

below are commonly used in public secondary schools where other non-curricular clubs already exist and are allowed. Keep in mind that these are starting points; because situations and schools vary, no single process is applicable to every school.

1 Follow Guidelines

Establish a GSA the same way you would start any other group or club. Look in your Student Handbook for your school’s rules regarding clubs. Some schools require students to go through a process for establishing a club; this could include writing a constitution or showing student interest.

2 Find a Faculty/Teacher Advisor

Find teachers or staff members who you think would be supportive or who have already shown themselves to be allies around sexual orientation and gender-identity issues. Consult your school rules for more information on who can serve as a club advisor.

3 Find Other Students

Work with a diverse range of students who are interested in such a group. Check with existing clubs for students who might have an interest.

4 Inform Administration

Let administrators know right away what you are doing. It can be very helpful to have

them on your side. They can work as liaisons to teachers, parents, community members

and the school board. If an administrator opposes the GSA, provide them information about the Federal Equal Access Act (EAA).

5 Pick a Meeting Place

You may want to find a meeting place within the school that offers some level of privacy, yet is still easily accessible.

6 Advertise

There are many ways to advertise; think about how you’ve seen other clubs advertise. Use a combination of your school bulletin, announcements, flyers or word-of-mouth. If your flyers are defaced or torn down, don’t be discouraged. Plan to check on them throughout the day and replace them if necessary. Eventually, whoever is tearing them down will give up or be reprimanded by the school. Besides, advertising your group and having words up such as “gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender” or “end homophobia” can be part of educating the school and can actually make other students feel safer—even if they never attend a single meeting.

7 Plan Your Meeting

Of course you want to have a good meeting, so plan ahead of time. There are tons of things you can do, from discussions to inviting speakers, holding workshops and playing games. Dozens of possible activities are described within The GLSEN Jump-Start Guide.

8 Hold Your Meeting!

You may want to start with a discussion about why people feel the group is needed or portant. You can also brainstorm projects that your club could do this year.

9 Establish Ground Rules

Creating ground rules helps ensure that group discussions are safe, confidential and respectful. Many groups have a ground rule that no assumptions or labels are used about a oup member’s sexual orientation.

10 Plan for the Future

Develop an action plan. Brainstorm projects. Set goals for what you want to work toward. (All of these steps are covered in The GLSEN Jump-Start Guide.) If you haven’t already done so, contact GLSEN’s Student Organizing Department so that you may share ideas, resources and information. Also look into local GSA networks in your town or city.

Once you've started your GSA, be sure to register at www.studentorganizing.org!