The 2021-2022 school year has been a great year for student involvement and participation in clubs. One of these clubs has been Empowerment Club, which was started this year by juniors Hanna Hajdu and Sabreen Sarwar. This Tuesday, May 24, Empowerment Club hosted its final meeting of the school year in the media center. 

Students met to participate in an activity for Mental Health Awareness Month, as they enjoyed ice cream and had discussions on mental health. They talked about their personal strategies when dealing with their mental health. Some members brought up balancing different aspects of their lives, while others suggested strategies on how to de-stress after a long day. 

They also reflected on their past year with the Empowerment Club. 

“Empowerment club has established an environment that I feel exceedingly comfortable in, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of this community,” said sophomore Gianna Bernier.

“It is a very empowering space, and I’m so glad I joined,” said junior Rahaf AlSattari. 

“Simply put, I’m devastated that the club is ending,” said junior Eunice Chi. 

“I feel like there’s going to be an emotional hole,” said junior Deanna Gaber.

Club advisor Ms. Caamano also commented on the meeting.

“The Empowerment Club’s main focus for the month of May was mental health awareness. The officers felt it was crucial to create an opportunity for members to destress and clear their minds in a couple different ways, and members seemed to enjoy time spent coloring and making beaded bracelets. It was also great to have the support of the school counseling office – they provided us with resources we could distribute to members, and Mrs. Alexander and I were so grateful that Mr. Reitter and Dr. Sicherer were able to attend the event and speak to our group. My experience with the club has been very rewarding – I am so grateful to be a part of it,” she said.

This 2021-2022 school year has been especially difficult for students, who had to deal with the return to normalcy all while being a part of new discourse on subjects that could potentially be difficult to navigate. Clubs like Empowerment Club have given students an opportunity to reconnect with one another and become more involved in school and their community. It’s also been an opportunity for students to be involved in discussions meant to empower and uplift one another.