Welcome to America Club (WTA) hosted their first meeting of the year after school on Tues., Aug. 26 in the courtyard. The meeting featured speeches from WTA officers about the club and plans for the future. There were also games and food, and information was shared about the club’s objectives for the 2025-2026 school year.
WTA aims to welcome students of various cultures at school, providing them a safe space to make new friends. The club hosts many meetings, kickbacks and events throughout the school year, all intended to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for its members. Along with her students, Advanced Placement Spanish teacher Luz Aguirre founded WTA in 2023.
“It fosters a sense of unity of different cultures,” junior Vice President Victoria Mallerman said.
However, before the meeting could begin members were relocated from the media center to the courtyard due to a misunderstanding about which club would meet in the media center that day.
“Key Club was having their meeting that day, and we were not informed of that,” senior President Oscar Bellos said. “Mrs. [Jean] Anders then told us to go to the back of the Media Center, and we were not able to fit in there.”
Officers redirected students to the art courtyard where they took attendance and discussed their thoughts on upcoming fundraisers for future events, like the Cultural Festival. The Cultural Festival is a week-long celebration held in the courtyard during both lunches. Students celebrate the cultures of different countries by making educational posters about them and choreographing cultural dances.
The officers also informed WTA members about the club’s end-of-the-year EPCOT trip. Though many details are to be decided, there are a limited number of seats available.
After all necessary information was shared, club members moved to the main courtyard to play red light, green light and share chips and drinks.
“I think overall it [the club meeting] was ok; it could’ve gone better, only because of the technical problem we had where people had to go back and forth,” Bello said.
WTA hopes to make the EPCOT trip an annual event going forward, as well as seeks to continue building upon and improving the Cultural Festival. The next WTA meeting will be on Sept. 16.
