12th Annual

Pride Student Summit

The Pride Student Summit is focused on celebrating LGBTQ+ students and the adults and allies who support them. Formerly known as the “Anti-Bullying & GSA Summit,” it’s been renamed the Pride Student Summit. This half-day gathering is intended to connect and uplift LGBTQ+ students, Gender Sexuality Alliance members and advisors, and allies who support them as they work for equity and justice. The event’s focus remains on fighting bullying and discrimination and bringing all students together.

Saturday | November 9, 2024

}

9:00 am - 2:30 pm

Delaware Technical Community College, 100 Campus Dr., Dover, DE 19904

Unapologetically Queer

What is the Pride Student Summit?

The Pride Student Summit is focused on celebrating LGBTQ+ students and the adults and allies who support them. Formerly known as the “Anti-Bullying & GSA Summit,” it’s been renamed the Pride Student Summit. This half-day gathering is intended to connect and uplift LGBTQ+ students, Gender Sexuality Alliance members and advisors, and allies who support them as they work for equity and justice. The event’s focus remains on fighting bullying and discrimination and bringing all students together.

LGBTQ+ students and allies, GSA advisors and school staff, and parents are welcome – there will be resources for students and adults.

Image of Black student union members from Delaware high schools

Enter the

Pride Student
Summit Challenge

The school with the MOST students at the Pride Student Summit will win a $500 cash prize!

Help your school win a cash prize for having the most students in attendance at the Summit! Show support by sharing Summit information and encouraging your friends to register and attend our November 4th event.

How Your School Can Win $500!

Register for the Summit

Complete the registration form on this page to register and reserve your seat at the summit.

Spread the Word

Create a video to encourage others to attend. Be creative and share why it’s important to unite all students against bullying and discrimination. Share it on TikTok, Instagram, and/or Facebook. Don’t forget to tag @unitedwayde, Delaware_pssummit & use #PSS24.

Attend the Summit

Your school must have a minimum of 10 attendees at the event to qualify. The school with the MOST students in attendance will win a cash prize for their GSA.

Learn More About the Challenge

Prizes: 

  • First Place (Most attendees)    : $500
  • Second Place (2nd most)          : $300
  • Third Place (3rd most)              : $150

 

Contest Rules and Details: 

  1. All event attendees must register to attend. Only one registration per person.
  2. Registration closes November 3, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST. 
  3. To qualify for prize entry – each school must have a minimum of 10 students registered and in attendance the day of the event (November 4th, 2023). 
  4. A cash prize will be awarded to the school with the most students in attendance; prize amount $500.
  5. The prize will be distributed by the United Way of Delaware to each school’s GSA Administrator or staff member for appropriate tracking. Cash prizes will not be distributed directly to students.
  6. Participation is open to any student, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, nationality origin or membership in any other protected category. 

Event Details

Summit Schedule

 

There are targeted trainings for students, parents, advisors & teachers, and school administrators. We’ll provide the full Summit Agenda soon. 

Saturday | November 9, 2024

}

9:00 am - 2:30 pm

Delaware Technical and Community College

100 Campus Dr.
Dover, DE 19904

Volunteer Opportunities

 

We are actively looking for trusted adults to help us out the day of the summit. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering to help out during the event, please click here to learn more and sign up.

Keynote Speaker

Daniel T. Walker, MSM

 

(he / him)

Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Social Services and Innovation

Daniel Walker is the Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. He is the highest-ranking LGBTQ+ person in Delaware’s executive branch.

In this role, he leads Delaware’s array of social service programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing, and Child Support Services. Daniel also leads the Department’s efforts around the Governor’s Family Services Cabinet Council with a goal of streamlining state services for targeted impact.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the Chief of Staff for Wilmington City Council, where he was the youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ individual to hold the role. During his tenure, he was influential in reforming the Council’s effectiveness in legislative discussions and helped to negotiate the first-ever violence prevention funding in the City’s base budget and over $8 million in public safety initiative funding utilizing American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act funds.

Daniel, a believer in harnessing the power and influence of community to shape policy discussions, got his start as a community organizer working to reform the criminal justice system. He has also been influential in policy discussions around education as a founding staffer of the Delaware Campaign for Achievement Now (CAN). Eventually, working his way up to Executive Director, leading both DelawareCAN and the DelawareCAN Action Fund, he has worked with elected officials from both parties, business leaders, non-profit executives, and faith leaders. During his time as Executive Director, he attracted the first round of national funding for the organization and built a base of over 1,000 volunteers, including over 300 students working to reform Delaware’s education system.

Daniel has worked for Senator Chris Coons, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, and the Delaware General Assembly. He has also served on numerous boards, including Planned Parenthood of Delaware, Junior Chamber of Commerce (JCI), Delaware Young Democrats, and the Rock Manor Golf Corporation. He is a 2019 Leadership Delaware Fellow, 2019 Policy Innovator in Education Fellow, a 2024 Milbank Memorial Fund Leadership Fellow. He has also been inducted into the Delaware Business Times 40 under 40.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Delaware and a Master’s degree with a concentration in public administration from Wilmington University. Daniel is a native Delawarean who lives in Wilmington with his husband and new puppy.

Daniel T. Walker

Need a Ride?

We Got You!

We don’t want transportation to keep you from attending the summit. That’s why we have organized buses to get you to the Summit! We will publish a full bus schedule soon! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the dress code?

The dress code is casual. You can feel free to wear what you want to express yourself as long as it doesn’t have any offensive language or slogans.

Will this be fun?

Absolutely. We will have some learning and workshops, but there will be plenty of time to connect with one another and talk to your friends and make new connections. We will also have a DJ for some fun tunes.

Are parents able to attend?

Yes, parents are welcome to attend. We will have workshops specifically, for parents.

Are advisors able to attend?

Yes, we encourage GSA advisors to attend and support their students. We will have specified workshops for them to connect and grow together.

How much does it cost to attend?

This Summit is brought to you by United Way of Delaware PRIDE Council and other partners so that is FREE of cost to you.

Can I invite friends?

Yes, invite all of your friends. Remember the school that has the most participants in attendace will receive a $500 cash prize!!

Will there be food?

Yes, we will have lunch and snacks throughout the day.

I need transportation to the Summit Who do I call about Transportation help?

We will have bus transportation from all three Delaware counties. For more information, contact John Fisher-Klein at jfisherklein@uwde.org.

I’m not a part of a GSA. Can I still come?

Yes, everyone is invited. If you’re interested in equity and against bullying. THIS IS FOR YOU! You don’t have to identify as LBGTQ+ either, you can come as an ally!

I'm interested in sponsoring the event. What do I do?

If you’d like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch with John Fisher-Klein at jfisherklein@uwde.org to explore our sponsorship levels. 

Are there any volunteer opportunities?

We are actively looking for trusted adults (21 and over) to help us out on the day of the summit. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering during the event, please click here to learn more and sign up.

Register Today!