International Club members come together every other Wednesday at lunch to celebrate cultural diversity at Carlmont. Sheena Alvarez, Zhuangxinyue Belle Zhao, Jessica Solorio, and Monserrat de la Rosa (left to right).

International Club strives to help all international students to come together and feel welcomed at Carlmont by creating a friendly environment within the club.

Club Adviser Jenny Lord said, “The students approached me about creating a club that would make sure that all newcomers received a warm welcome.”

The club’s main purpose is to help students who may be struggling due to coming from a different society. The club also works to promote unity among different cultures within the Carlmont community.

“The purpose of this club is to get closer with the people around you and start talking to a bunch of new people,” Maya Elbanova, a sophomore, said. “Talking to more people from this club helps me to become less shy around other.”

Students from the English Language Learners (ELL) program, as well as other students who want to explore various cultures, come together every other Wednesday.

“We all know the struggle of coming to a new country,” Sofia Garcia, a senior and the president of the club, said. “We want to show that all students can fit in at Carlmont.”

During the club’s meetings, students share parts of their culture by planning various parties, talking about their national values, and sharing their experiences.

“The club is student driven,” said Lord, “The students took the idea and made the club into what they wanted it to be.”

In addition, the club is trying to promote cultural unity in the community by volunteering for different events.

Lord said, “Students decided to volunteer so that they can participate in a larger community that is outside of school.”

In the future, the club plans to become even more proactive by creating more opportunities for students to learn more about different cultures.

“We plan to have more parties with traditional food,” Garcia said. “It would be a great opportunity to tell the story behind a certain tradition and explain how it affects each culture.”

All of the meetings, parties, and ideas would help students learn about multiple cultures, as well as create a safe environment for diversity.

“Newcomers are no longer ‘new,’” Lord said. “We see that [students] bring their friends into the club and welcome anyone who wants to find new friends.”

The club creates long-lasting bonds between people from multiple cultures, making it one of the most welcoming and accepting environments at Carlmont.

According to Lord: “Students who are in college still keep in touch with the people they met in the club.”