Here at the Harvard Westlake Middle School campus, there are 9 affinity groups and 24+ clubs available for students to participate in on Days 2, 4, 6, and 8, during community time. These groups range from helping save the environment, to learning about snacks around the world, and everything in between.
Sarah Tooke ’04, the Director of Student Affairs as well as supervisor for clubs and affinity groups, said that the main difference between the two is that affinity groups tend to run every year with the same advisor, and are not always student generated, but rather created for the needs of the community. Clubs, however, are born through creative ideas of students, and new ones are created every year.
Juha Kim ’29, founder and leader of Voices for Change, a social justice podcasting club, says the club had its inaugural meeting on September 9th of this year. By starting the club, she wanted to allow the voices of students to be heard and make a difference, and said:
“I noticed that many people at our school–including myself–really care about major issues in our society, but there wasn’t a space where we could actually talk about it or take action. I wanted to build a community where students could speak up, be heard, and turn their ideas into real impact because I believe every one of us is capable of change.” said Kim.
Anna Chen ’30 and Serena Cohen ’30 also started a new club, the Voices for the Voiceless Animals Rights Club. Chen said:
“We were inspired by our love for animals. We wanted to create a club to share our passion, to spread the word about animal cruelty, and to support their well-being.”
Groups always find the most creative ways to spread fun and excitement. Nico Velmoor ’29, leader of the Latinx and Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO) spoke about the meetings this year, and stated:
“So far, we have had a Karaoke day, filled with singing and many foods, but we also have important meetings coming up about prevalent topics in our community such as ICE in the United States.”
Meanwhile at the Mental Health Awareness club Lauren Bae ’30 said the meetings have included:
“Relaxing and stress-free with fun activities and informational presentations. We wanted to give everyone a safe space to talk or have fun. We hope for our club to spread awareness of mental health, as we think it is extremely important in our school community.”
The clubs and affinity groups continue to look towards the future, finding new opportunities to spread their message and create a positive impact. Chen said the club’s goal is to:
“Spread the word about animal rights issues to make a positive impact on the world. We plan to host community service opportunities later this year by volunteering at local animal shelters.”
Club forms can be found in Tooke’s office (HC 218). Students can find more information through the Daily Bulletin or via posters around campus for exact locations and dates.
