Editor-in-Chief
Spanish Club had its first meeting Wed., Sept. 4 and this year’s leaders began talking about plans for the school year.
Senior Sharzad Ayrempour, a member of Spanish Club since her freshman year, is one of the club leaders. She has plans to improve the club in terms of its student involvement.
“We just want [Spanish Club] to be more of a group effort,” Ayrempour said. “We want more people to show up, be a part of it and enjoy it versus it being like, ‘Oh, I’m going to come to one meeting, pretend I’m in Spanish Club and never come again.’”
In past years, students who took a Spanish class were automatically considered to be in the club.
According to Ayrempour, membership requirements are shifting; this year, students will have to attend at least two meetings to be in Spanish Club. Meetings will be held at least once a month, but the club has yet to set any dates.
Ayrempour also hopes more students will participate in club activities and events. Leaders began planning a trip to a Mexican restaurant and aim to have it happen in a few weeks.
Leaders also began talking about Homecoming Week. They want to either sell candy that represents Spanish-speaking countries, like last year’s Chupa Chups, for fundraising, or give candy away in the spirit of Homecoming Week’s theme, “How Sweet it is.” Ayrempour had the idea of getting lollipops in the shape of skulls, which represent the Day of the Dead’s traditional sugar skulls. Spanish Club will also help decorate the foreign language hallway.
The Spanish immersion trip to Minnesota is coming up, and there is a requirement of 10 Prospect students to be able to attend, so Spanish Club wants to promote the event. Last year, exactly 10 students went, and in the previous year, over 20 attended, so Spanish Club will try to get enrollment up. Spanish Club sponsor Ryan Schultz is holding a meeting before school Mon., Sept. 9, and also after school that day to talk about the trip.
Also, in future meetings, Spanish Club will continue planning outings, designing their t-shirt and brainstorming ways to recruit more students.
“We’re making [Spanish Club] more student-run versus Señor Schultz telling us what to do,” Ayrempour said.
Ayrempour used to be able to spend her lunch period practicing her Spanish speaking with a Spanish teacher who volunteered her/ open period or lunch to do so, and she wants to bring something similar back to Spanish Club.
Ayrempour admits she initially wanted to join Spanish Club for something else to write on her college application, but soon realized she actually enjoyed the club and decided to stick around. She encourages students of all grade levels to join.
If anyone has a design idea for the Spanish Club t-shirt, wants more information on meeting dates, events throughout the year or the club itself, he/she can contact sponsors Schultz and fellow Spanish teacher Maria Syreggelas.
