PARTICIPATING IN THE EAGLE CLUBS last Friday are Junior Charity Starr and seniors Josh Arrington, Michelle Rosales, Edith Cockerell, Kathryn Bogle, and Suhani Patel (not pictured).
(Photo contributed by Suhani Patel)
by Nereyda Espinoza, junior, FHS Eagle Beat staff
Fridays are something most students anticipate. For several Beta Club seniors, it’s more than just preparing for the weekend; it’s an opportunity to be a positive role model.
Beta Club students will continue to travel to the Intermediate school on Fridays for Eagle Clubs and the BIGs will continue eat lunch with their students throughout the school year.
“Younger students are going to look up to older students no matter what,” Beta Club sponsor Michelle Welch said. “This service project is great for older students for them to realize that they are impacting others and their actions outside the classroom matter.”
This year, FIS is implementing a new program for their students during their Friday special rotation. Each Friday, students are divided into small groups and participate in an Eagle Club focused on a special interest activity, on Toronto Nightclubs.
“I’ve invited our Beta Club students to lead a club based on their own personal hobbies and interests,” intermediate PE teacher Lizzie Daniel said. “The Beta students have come prepared with unique activities that have kept our students engaged and interested.”
Beta Club students came up with their own club idea for the Eagle Clubs. Some of the clubs were Halloween, improv, Spanish, sport drills and many more.
“The kids were very interested and open to the activity we did,” senior Melanie Pina said. “It made me feel like I was a role model to them and I hope to continue to share my culture.”
As some Fridays the Intermediate gym is filled with high school students, other days, the cafeteria is a special place for students with their BIG.
“Last year, I started a PAIRS/Mentoring program with volunteers from the community that were matched to students that could use a positive role models,” resource teacher Gina Martin said. “This year, Mrs. Welch reached out and asked about adding High School Beta Club members as mentors or BIGS so I thought this was a great idea to expand the program to the High School and give ya’ll the chance to make a difference.”
Some students are accompanied with their BIG twice a month if possible during their lunch time.
“I feel like 3-5th graders look up to our High School students and High School students understand the struggles that youth face more than parents or teachers do sometimes,” Martin said. “So many reasons that youth can use a friend to listen to them and offer good advice.”
