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February 4, 2010
Anterpreet Kaur
Interact Club is preparing for its annual Elegant Affairs Community Event to be hosted Feb. 12. Unlike other community service events, this event offers the volunteers double hours. The volunteers will be completing only six and a half hours from 5:00 to 11:30 p.m., but they will be awarded 13 hours.
“We will be helping out with various tasks during the dinner. This event is a little dressier than some of other events: black pants for males and black dresses for females are required,” senior Interact president Angela Chu said.
However, she knows many female volunteers will instead wear dress pants, so there is not much stress over attire.
Furthermore, the volunteers at Elegant Affairs will get free food.
“Usually, the event coordinators are extremely generous, and we get pizza and desserts, which the cooks prepare at the place. So, it’s bound to be good,” Chu said.
Freshmen are especially looking forward to volunteering at Elegant Affairs for their first time.
“My friends and I are already planning on carpooling to the event, and what we are going to wear,” freshman Homaira Anwari said. “I have volunteered in a few places before, but we never got double hours. I think [the double hours] is the greatest motivation to attend.”
Previous volunteers said that the challenge definitely comes with being able to stay up that late at the event.
“By the end of the event, I was extremely tired and felt really lazy,” previous Interact Club treasurer Avtar Josen said. “But, at the end of the day, it was totally worth it for the thirteen hours of community service.”
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February 2, 2010
The French Club is raising funds to award scholarships for the annual summer trip to France. Officers are brainstorming fundraising ideas for spring. The club has already made profits from the holiday See’s Candy sales.
French club participated in International Kitchen during Multi-Cultural Week last year. French club also raised money selling croissants during an official fundraising schedule. However, the newly-adjusted food regulation laws do not classify croissants as healthy snacks.
“We also plan to participate again with croissants, Nutella, madelines, and orangina at International Kitchen on March 19,” French teacher Jennifer Pardini said. “We also raise money through our movie nights hosted certain Fridays of the month, which are open to any student, not just French students.”
The French Club administration awards the central scholarship to French language students who have signed up for the France study abroad program in summer 2010. A valid candidate must have be in at least a French 2 class with a recommendation from Pardini.
“After studying French for four years, I’m curious and excited about experiencing the French culture and practicing my language skills,” junior Avtar Josen said. “Through numerous visits to distinct places around the world, I believe that the pleasure and knowledge gained from actual experiences exceeds anything that can be achieved from textbooks and movies.”
The trip costs about $5000 per person, but the cost is relatively low compared what a person would pay independently.
“I believe a lot of kids don’t end up going because of the costs,” senior Schaffe Rodriguez said. “Yet, if I add up all the travel, food, and hotel costs for myself alone, they end up being far more than this one cost of five thousand.”
Rodriguez is an AP French 4 student.
During the three-week trip, students live with a host family, and students will afterwards have the option to revisit France with to learn more language skills.
A study broad program helps students to improve language skills through involvement with the culture and community. It also allows students to observe and explore the many parts of France.
French club encourages all qualified candidates to attend the trip.
