The Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) of Mt. Vernon High School  invites the entire community to join them for their first big event, the Over the Rainbow Festival.

Mt. Vernon's GSA chapter formed this school year and has been forced to work through many obstacles and resistance from the school district. Show your support for these students by going to the festival.

Opening night is Friday, February 22 with the screening of For the Bible Tells Me So at 7 pm.

The divisively contested relationship between scripture and homosexuality is at the center of For the Bible Tells Me So, a moving examination of how people of faith struggle to reconcile sexual orientation with the word of God as it's preached by organized religion.

The film's focus is on how average church-going American families persist in belief when faced with intolerance justified in a literal reading of the Old Testament.

Interspersed among the personal testimonies are appearances by an array of theologians, such as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech who demonstrate with passion and compassion how believers in the 21st century can live by the Book.

The Mt. Vernon festival continues all day on Saturday, February 23 with presentations and workshops from 10 AM to 5:30 PM with a Variety Show Following Dinner from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.

All events are held at the high school (314 North 9th) [get directions].