Newly formed Spanish club tries to increase language proficiency and teach culture

Junior Spanish Club members RJ Anderson, Riley O’Neill and Grant Westbrook share a laugh while creating tasty breakfast burritos.

Nneoma Igwedibie

Junior Spanish Club members RJ Anderson, Riley O’Neill and Grant Westbrook share a laugh while creating tasty breakfast burritos.

Nneoma Igwedibie, Photographer

Since the beginning of the school year, NC has welcomed several new club additions to their list, including Spanish Club. Founded by junior Riley O’Neill, the new club prepares for many projects this school year.

“I wanted to provide students with the opportunity to learn Spanish in ways more hands on than what our Spanish classes could offer, and allowing them the access to real world situations while celebrating Hispanic culture,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill envisioned every Monday meeting as a fresh new start of the week. This gives members something to look forward to after the weekend and makes their Mondays less dreadful.

Many students of Hispanic heritage take part in their various work projects and meetings, but those who never took the time to educate themselves in Spanish learn more now than they thought they would in a week of Spanish class.

“I was actually surprised by how successful Spanish Club has been so far. Usually clubs have a hard time taking off, but Riley has put in lots of work to give students a great experience,” senior Brookelynn Shire said.

Approaching the month of October marks an important Hispanic Holiday—Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember those who have died. In honor of this historic day, the members of the Spanish Club decorated the display case in the foreign language hallway with skulls, flowers, candles and more to remember the deceased.

“It was our first project as a club, and it went smoothly. I’m glad that people are able to walk by the display case and acknowledge that the Spanish Club made it happen,” junior Grant Westbrook said.

O’Neill has more projects and club events planned this year, ones that will only garner more attention for the newly-created club.