The Hispanic Leadership Club held its annual banquet that celebrates the idea of family and working together as a community on Dec 2.
Members of the club worked beforehand in preparation for the banquet, by recruiting both members and non-members volunteers.
“We are getting parents come in and help us, by bringing food and getting that parent involvement beginning with the club but also extending it to the school and PTSA,” president of HLC and senior Eliana Sejas said.
Members came in at 4:00 p.m. and started to set up food and decorations, which included Christmas lights and snowflake decorations.
The event officially began at 6 p.m. and the students and faculty saw it as an overall success.
“It’s a great way for students to come together for a cause and this time its for the National Council of La Raza,” junior Judith Cruz said. “It is definitely a full house tonight and the food is great.”
The National Council of La Raza is the event held during the summer, a three day event that focuses on Hispanic civil rights, working to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans specifically the young adults. The event includes workshops with influential Hispanic leaders, and special guest speakers, some that included President Barack Obama and Eva Longoria in the summer of 2011 NCLR.
During the event, parents were in attendance, something that has not occurred very much in the past since HLC has had trouble with parent involvement. HLC has begun the steps in order to find a resolution, and the results of the banquet were successful.
“I’m glad to see that there is a lot of parent contribution because it helps the students include the parents in their education and events,” HLC sponsor Lilia Jimenez. “It helps the parents see their children have good clean fun and it makes them want to come back, and get to know the other parents as well.”
The banquet included cultural foods like Peruvian chicken and chicken tacos, but was not limited to other traditional teenage food like pizza with chips and soda.
The banquet ended at 9 p.m. with all the kids dancing to the last song and almost refusing to leave the cafeteria.
“This club is like a family, and the party was a huge success with music and just a good time,” Sejas said.
