Extracurriculars are the heartbeat of every campus as they show the variety of student life and are the place where ideas become reality. In the past year, MACES has opened their doors to four new clubs, funded by California’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program; Quill & Scroll Press Club, Folklorico, Loteria Games, and Girls Who Code who have branched out to create the Climate Literacy program. As the halls fill with Christmas decorations and the countdown to winter break is ticking faster than ever, the tendency of gift giving is increasing and going farther beyond just wrapped presents. As for MACES, the gift this year is opportunity
Quill and Scroll Press Club
To begin with, the newly funded Quill and Scroll Press Club is gearing up to uplift student journalism and broadcasting on campus. With grant money allocated for recording equipment, cameras, and more, student reporters are no longer limited by a lack of materials. “We want to enhance opportunities for students to develop media literacy skills and amplify their voice, while providing greater access to publishing their work and qualifying for competitions, scholarships, and membership in the society,” Mr. Cottom, the advisor, said.
From digital stories to short videos on instagram, the club plans to roll out a multi-platform media for all members to show their skills and what to improve upon. For many aspiring writers and broadcasters, this opportunity is the first real step toward developing a passion for careers revolving multimedia content. “I feel like the Press Club can help members like me find a future career in journalism because it teaches me the fundamentals of the skills required and the responsibilities that come with the job,” press club member Kevin De Jesus said.
“Instead of being consumers, let’s be creators,” Mr. Nunez, co-advisor, said. Because most students are great consumers already, he believes that is the strong base to understanding what consumers want, leading students to be better creators than they believe they could be. Whether it is stepping in front of the camera, working behind the camera, or working on the visuals, the club’s goal is to push students to take their first steps into the multimedia world.
Folklorico Club
Similarly, tradition is finding a strong footing at MACES through the newly funded Folklorico Club, which is centered on celebrating a traditional Mexican dance. Folklorico is a high-spirited dance rooted in Mexican history, as well as at MACES, with the club being created by students for students. The people leading the club would be seniors Merari Morales and Valerie Madrigal that have been dancing for multiple years.
“She choreographs all the dances and has been doing an amazing job,” Ms. Sullivan, the advisor, said. She said that the rest of the board is in charge of the promotion, social media, and meetings.
The Folklorico Club has recently received funding through a grant that has greatly helped in the clubs goals. “The funds were provided by an ELOP grant that Ms. Barrios applied for and was granted through MMED and the Dual Language program,” Sullivan said. This grant has been used to purchase the club’s essential supplies like skirts, shoes, and accessories needed so that the students don’t have to worry about costly purchases. They meet practice twice a week on Mondays and Tuesdays, with Saturday meetings and biweekly or weekly lunch meetings, and although Sullivan emphasized that the funding is only valid through December 19, she also emphasised that it has been used efficiently to support the students as much as possible.
Beyond the memorizations of the steps, the Folklorico club has their eyes set farther to create a lasting sense of community on campus. Sullivan shared that their ultimate goal is to essentially build everlasting relationships that will build chemistry and confidence between the students. “I have already witnessed so many new, beautiful friendships and connections being formed just within the two months we have had the club,” she elaborated. With every step and shared rhythm, the Folklórico Club is turning funding into opportunity; building connections, confidence, and community that will carry students forward long after the music fades.
Lotería Club
Synchronously, the newly funded Lotería Club is bringing together language, and connection in a comfortable space designed for students of all ages at MACES. Supported by an ELOPA grant, the club now has the resources to purchase Lotería boards, cards, and materials as its attendance continues to grow. For advisor Ms. Leon, the idea for the club came from a simple observation. “I noticed that a lot of students understand Spanish, but they don’t always feel confident speaking it,” Leon said. “I wanted to make it fun, relaxed, and welcoming, something that felt familiar.”
By the same token, Lotería Club should be seen and has grown into more than just a cultural game played at parties. Each meeting begins with homework help, something that they still want to emphasize, that is led by students from the National Honor Society who volunteer their time to tutor younger students. “The first part of the meeting is focused on academics,” Leon explained. “It gives older students the chance to step into leadership roles while supporting sixth graders and helping them feel comfortable.” With this chemistry being made,it has allowed the creation of a natural mentorship system, allowing students across grade levels to connect in meaningful ways.
To add on, the grant funding has also allowed the club to keep up with any student who finds their way into joining the club. “The funds are mainly used for materials,” Leon said. “As more students join, we need more cards and supplies so everyone can participate.” Although weekly documentation is required for the grant, Leon says the true impact of the club lies in what students gain from it. Her goal is to create a space where students can build leadership skills, receive academic support, and enjoy time, without being judged, together outside of the classroom. In doing so, Lotería Club is investing back into MACES by creating familiarity in a community; one game, and one connection at a time.
Girls Who Code, Climate Literacy
On the flip side, in a world constantly shaped by technology, Girls Who Code is using its new grant to ensure MACES students are aware of how the earth’s climate change is affecting their local communities and what needs to be understood; introducing climate literacy. The funding will provide the club to afford what is needed. “Basically we get about 400 dollars and we are able to purchase things from Amazon, such as snacks or things that we might need for the girls to learn anything regarding programming or, you know, just stickers, anything that keeps the girls motivated,” club advisor Ms. Camarena said.
To add on, the club also received $1000 in funding specifically for climate literacy to help promote what will be done in the club and what the students will get from being part of it. Climate Literacy is behind multiple upcoming events, from earth day to CS fair, in which multiple members do their part so that others are also aware of the current state of the climate.
“So our goal is that we grow this whole climate literacy, beyond just the club,” Camarena said, “We also want to bring a garden. I think we already have some, but we applied for a grant to get additional funds for a garden where we have like students, maybe in our science classes, not just a club, but perhaps in the classes they can go in and experiment with with an actual garden.” She believes that the community has a lot to learn with how they can be conscious of what is occurring. She hopes students share the information to their parents and that it will keep getting passed along, a trickle down effect.
