Hazen Union Hosts NEK Queer Youth Summit

HARDWICK – The NEK Queer Youth Summit, May 16, brought together students from Hazen Union, North Country Union and Glover Community School for an overnight gathering focused on queer connection and belonging in rural Northeast Kingdom communities.

Quinn Molleur, grade 12, Hazen Union, performs a drag rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” during the Queer Youth Summit, May 16.
photo by Lisa Stinson

Hosted at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, the gathering featured a Renaissance Faire-inspired theme created by students. Activities included dramatically staged sword fighting, costumes, a drag workshop facilitated by Emoji Nightmare and Pete Zapparti, a workshop led by Outright Vermont, youth performances, open mic acts, live music from Hazen’s student rock band, “Lense,” and screen-printing t-shirts featuring summit artwork designed by Hazen senior Quinn Molleur.

Hazen Union’s Zoey Custeau (left) and Kaylee Nelson (right) act out sword fighting with North Country Union’s Parker Russell (back) as part of the Queer Youth Summit evening’s dramatic activities, May 16.
photo by Lisa Stinson

Cappy Santamore, grade 12, Hazen Union, in drag, performs “Sweet Transvestite” from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” during the Queer Youth Summit at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, May 16.
photo by Lisa Stinson

Reflecting on the design, Quinn said, “When creating the logo for this event, I had the Renaissance theme in the back of my mind and drew a creature that was a mix between a bird and a serpentine animal. While less intentional, this logo also represents being outside of what is considered the ‘norm,’ being a creature that doesn’t fit into one expected category.”

Students stayed overnight, providing additional opportunities to build friendships and connect with peers from neighboring schools.

The summit was created by students who recognized the limited opportunities for queer young people in geographically isolated rural communities to meet peers from neighboring schools and gather in shared spaces.

Organized by the Hazen Union Gender and Sexuality Club (HUGS), with leadership from senior Cappy Santamore, the event was made possible through a $10,000 grant from the It Gets Better Project.

Hazen Union student Zoey Custeau, grade 7 (from left) screenprints a t-shirt for the Queer Youth Summit the old fashioned way, with a screen frame, ink, a stencil and a squeegee, as Emily Wilson, volunteer and Vaiva Velzis, Hazen community schools coordinator, assist.
photo by Lisa Stinson

Queer Youth Summit art designed by Hazen Union student Quinn Molleur features a Renaissance-inspired creature that is a mix between a bird and a serpentine animal, a creation that “doesn’t fit into an expected category,” as described by the artist.
photo by Lisa Stinson

The club said the event aimed to create opportunities for support, creativity and community-building among queer youth in the Northeast Kingdom and hope to continue the summit as an annual gathering, expanding participation to additional schools and gay-straight alliances across Vermont.