Corrections: 12/1/18 at 1:13 pm. Graf two, line one: “Kaile” to “Kalie”

Protests have long been an American tradition, from the Boston Tea party to the Women’s Marches. But lately, in the aftermath of the Parkland Shooting and the teen-led March for Our Lives movement, teens have been exercising their First Amendment rights. In today’s politically charged climate, some SCHS teens are taking activism into their own hands. The Youth Activists club hopes to provide students with a platform to advocate for topics they are passionate about.

Junior Kalie Ching co-created the club with current president junior Anita Sagar with hopes to bring the community together in times of hardship.

“Activism does take courage,” Ching said. “We wanted to motivate other students in the school to really step up and respectfully advocate for the issues they have opinions on.”

Wanting to help all of their members, the club provides community service opportunities and workshops that focus on developing public speaking and event organization skills. When vice president sophomore Jema Ranoy first joined the club, she found a strong sense of community.  

“I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Ranoy said. “I know that in high school, it is hard for people to find where they belong, but this club has a place for everyone.”

The Youth Activist club allows students to discuss topics they are passionate about in an accepting environment. At every meeting, they discuss a specific issue that fits into the category for that month. The club is currently holding a donation drive to collect supplies for victims of the California wildfires.

“So many people have lost everything to these fires,” Sagar said. “Hopefully we can make their lives a little easier.”

They will be collecting donations through the end of November.

Although some SCHS students might find it out of their reach to address an issue that seems impossible to fix, Sagar believes that everyone can help in some way.

“I just [want] to be able to make a difference and show other students that they can make a difference too,” Sagar said.

The club meets every other Friday in Ms. Carvalho’s room, S115.