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Students connect with community through clubs
A ru
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shley W elp ________________
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Becoming involved in
the community is a theme
of many of the new and
existing clubs. Opportunities
to go out and serve, whether
it be inside the school/
throughout the state, across
the nation, or across the
world are a focus.
"WLHS doesn't require
you to do any community
service in order to graduate,"
Erin Axelrod and Taylor
Nowlin, co-presidents of
Serious About Student
Service club, said. The
purpose of SASS is to "get
students involved in the
community, get excited
about helping, and make it
easy for them to volunteer,"
Nowlin said. Members of the
group are regularly trying to
be as involved as possible.
Last year they collected cans
from the Cedaroak area for
the city wide canned food
drive and partook in an after
school program for Russian
immigrant's children with
Human Solutions.
SASS is also involved in
groups that provide meals to
20-30 homeless youth. They
are also teaming up with
another club, Green Team,
for a few projects.
"We live in such a
fortunate community. I mean
Portland has the highest
whole country. It just really
assignments at the weekly
and staff made T-shirts, sang
makes us want to help out
Monday meetings. These
songs about peace and just
because [our city is] so close
assignments usually consist
hung out.
to them
and have
so much,"
Axelrod
and
Nowlin
said.
The club
usually
meets on
the third
Tuesday
of every
month at
lunch in
E205.
"The
size of our
club varies
but we -
have about
15-20 core
Young Advocates for Peace members Jordan LeVeque, junior, Kaitlin Nordstorm, Caitlin
members.
Connolly, Jasmine Winfield, Haley Epperly, Colton Erickson, Mollie Schlunegger, Anneli
Tostar, Brenna Stahlnecker, sophomores, Jali Henry, Mollie Bushnell, juniors, Stacy
The more
the merrier! Erickson, adviser, Graham Frank, Andrew Daniels, Micah Wiard and Georgia Muggli,
sophomores, meet to plan a walk for peace. The YAP club meets every week on Mondays
We love
at lunch.
Photo by Hannah Zaayer
people
"The purpose of YAP is
joining. Even if they only
of text messaging a peaceful
to increase the peace in our
come for the food," Axelrod
message to a friend or
society, community and
making something beautiful
said.
school. We also want to
for another student.
SASS isn't the only club
"We work in small ways to project the peace outward
looking to have a hand
achieve peace at school. They into the nation and the
in things that matter. The
really add up," Erickson said. world," Erickson said.
Young Advocates for Peace
Students are welcome to
The club is trying to set up
club (YAP) is "trying to
join YAP at any time during
fundraisers by bringing a
teach everyone peaceful
the year.
guest speaker to the school
living by way of example,"
"At the club fair we
Colton Erickson, club
and planning a peace walk.
had 90 people sign up
leader, said. YAP actually
They have already had a
rnte o f ho m eless teens in the
g iv es o u t h o m ew o rk
Staff Reporter
p eace vigil w here stu d en ts
and there are u su ally
anksgiving week turns into fall "spring" break
L exi W elp
Staff Reporter
/ x
Moist turkey, fluffy
mashed potatoes, creamy
gravy-finished and luscious
smooth pumpkin pie. While
some students are sticking
to the traditional feast with
family, others are taking
advantage of the weeklong
break to travel and bond with
their families through games
and exotic vacations.
Thanksgiving break has
not always been a nine day
vacation for students. Two
in-service-days, which
teachers must attend, were
added to the week.
"I like a week to
rejuvenate," Anneli Tostar,
sophomore said. Tostar likes
to sleep in and enjoy relaxing
throughout the break.
"We always have a
Thanksgiving ’turkey bowl’
football game at my aunt
and uncle's house. We make
t-shirts and chalk the field
every year—it gets pretty
intense," Tostar said of her
Thanksgiving plans. "We've
only been doing this a few
years, but it's already become
a tradition."
Morgan Thompson,
sophomore is traveling to
Hawaii. "I have been doing
this, probably since I was
three, every other year,"
Thompson said.
She usually travels with
r mom’s side of the family,
(her grandparents, aunt,
and cousins) and they have
a family reunion in Kauai,
Hawaii; even though
no relatives
live there.
However,
this year
she is
traveling
with her
immediate
family and they're staying for
a week.
"My favorite thing to do
there would probably be
surfing or boogie boarding,"
Thompson said. Every year
her family stays at the Kia
Huna plantation which is
right on the beach. She enjoys
the short walk to the beach
were she can catch a wave or
two.
Along with being
in the water, one
of Thompson's
favorite things
to do during her
Thanksgiving vacation
is eat traditional food. "My
favorite food to eat during
Thanksgiving is mashed
potatoes," Thompson said.
For those students not
planning a vacation during
the break, there are options
closer to home.
"I'm staying at my house
for the week of Thanksgiving
and will not leave except to
go to work. There are also big
family feasts to look forward
to and gatherings at loved
ones houses.
"Every year for
Thanksgiving my mom's side
of the family all gather at my
great-aunt's house. The kids
all play XBox 360 until dinner
time, and my dad always
makes his signature dinner
rolls. After dinner, all the kids
take a hammer to a chocolate
sculpture of a turkey and eat
it," Hans Farnbach, senior,
said.
around 40 students at the
meetings. This is our biggest
attendance year so far and
we hope it will be even
bigger in the future. We are
always open to students
joining. We love it," Erickson
said.
The more students join
the more ideas and activities
YAP will produce.
"We try to have the club
be student lead. If a student
in the club has a great idea
we will focus on it and make
it happen." Erickson said.
The National Theater
Honor Society, also known as
the Thespian Troupe 1915, is
also doing its part to involve
students and break down
barriers.
"This year we are trying
to be more inclusive with
students. People have been
slightly intimidated by the
Thespians in the past, but
we're attempting to reflect
our image to the community
in a better way, so we're
not seen as just a bunch
of strange and odd kids,"
Caitlyn Olson, co-president,
said of the club.
The purpose of the group
is "to meet and share the
work we do elsewhere and
participate in activities
that extends the theatrical
experience of classes and
productions," Olson said.
There are currently around
35 T h esp ian s at W L H S w ho
have put in lots of time and
effort to acquire their status.
Thespians is one of the
only clubs that students can
not join at any time. They
must acquire ten points
and be involved with two
theatrical productions. One
point is 10 hours worth of
service in the theater. Then
students must go through a
tryout called "Happy Week"
which happens in Jan. and in
June.
"Thespians is a great
outlet for students to meet
and interact in a [positive]
way." Olson said. Most
of the clubs provide an
encouraging atmosphere for
students to become involved
in what’s important to them.
is
coming
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