Relocating from a different country comes with various challenges; however, joining a club can help you adapt and find your interests more easily.
Out of the 136 clubs offered at the school, some focus on cultural diversity and on helping international students adjust and make friends such as the Brazilian Club and the Italian Club, which focus on multiculturalism and inclusion.
“I met so many people, mostly seniors, but it got me to start speaking the language. Julia (the former president of the International Club) helped me make friends,” senior Neli Sacca, the current Club president, said.
These clubs also offer access to leadership and several service hours opportunities, such as food drives and fundraising, and can help students understand the American school system and the tips and tricks for students to succeed socially and academically.
“In the International Club, there are people who are in higher grades and can tell you what mistakes they made so you don’t repeat them,” Sacca said.
There are also different honor societies: the Chinese Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and French Honor Society, which focus on strengthening student’s college applications. While these honor societies do have certain academic requirements, such as the level of a student’s current Spanish class, they contain benefits.
“It’s not just a social club… we are a society, which gives the advantage for students to put it in their application for college. They [colleges] know you are there because you have met the requirements, academically, to be invited to the club,” Spanish Honor Society faculty advisor Mrs. Iris Castro said.
Overall, there are various clubs on campus that international students can benefit from and allow them to feel more at home in their new environment.
