For the 2023-2024 school year, the Associated Student Body has approved 29 new clubs. The Accolade’s cub reporters from the beginning journalism class will report on each new group in alphabetical order. For the previous ones that have already been posted, be sure to go to the Feature section.
When junior Jennie Jeong saw a text message from her friend at Troy High School last semester, she knew that the content was something she wanted to bring to her campus.
Near the end of the first quarter of the 2023-2024 school year, Jeong said she was given the opportunity to create a chapter of Creative for Social Change [CSC] at Sunny Hills when the president of Troys branch, a close friend of hers, reached out with the idea through a text message.
According to the Troy chapter’s Instagram page, CSC was created to be a safe space for students to connect, collaborate and innovate for the unified purpose of social activism, something president Jeong was more than excited to introduce to Sunny Hills’ campus.
“CSC is a really great club with various goals and accomplishments,” Jeong said. “With the great motivation and inspiration [my friend] gave me, I was very glad and happy to create Sunny Hills’ chapter.”
Her first time starting a club, the president said she faced a challenge in finding an adviser for it. But, she eventually found new art teacher Chablis Bates to agree to the role.
“She already had three clubs, but she listened to what our club was about and she was open to giving us a chance, so I was really glad about that,” said the junior, who is also an Associated Student Body [ASB] technology commissioner.
By Monday, Oct. 16, Jeong said she submitted her club’s proposal to the ASB, which was officially approved on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
For its first project, the club plans on collaborating with Troy’s CSC to make and decorate Period Care Boxes — containers of necessities including pads, tampons and hair ties — on Thursday, Jan. 25, from 4-6 p.m. at Troy.
The SH chapter will take 20 of the 40 Period Care Boxes made during the event to distribute on campus while Troy’s CSC takes the remaining 20 boxes for its school.
Bates will send out a Google Form this month through email, asking teachers if they would like to receive a Period Care Box. Members will pass out these boxes to classrooms the week following the collaboration during break and plans to restock them throughout the year.
“We hope that the decorated Period Care Boxes placed inside the classrooms can be easily reachable by students,” Jeong said. “And as we spread this box around more classrooms, we hope that this can be just a part of a student’s routine and place they can reach when needed.”
Through this project, the group aims to normalize menstrual products and the concept of menstruation itself.
“I want to make an environment where girls are not really embarrassed to take out a pad,” the junior said. “I want to make an environment where it’s comfortable for everyone because it’s a natural act and not something that we should be embarrassed about.”
For girls who are unsatisfied with the menstrual goods provided on campus, Period Care Boxes may also be able to serve as another source for these products.
“We wanted to make menstrual products more accessible to students,” said junior Joyce Choi, CSC’s vice president. “The menstrual products at our school are sometimes not well-stocked, and often, they are uncomfortable.”
To stock these boxes, the club plans on hosting a period drive in early February during which students and teachers can donate menstrual products.
Jeong also hopes to encourage student bonding through Bead Boutiques. Using beads provided by Troy’s CSC, students can create charms, bracelets and necklaces and eventually make new friends.
Currently, the club has about 15 members and hopes to gain more members by advertising on social media and making cookies for the International Food Fair in February, Choi said.
“I joined [CSC] because I believe the message and impact of the club is significant,” said junior Alexander Chiao, a member of the club. “[I’m] excited [about the club’s projects] because I am with my friends and I’m working toward a good cause.”
In the future, Jeong hopes to make projects unique to Sunny Hills, further encouraging creative advocacy.
“I would love to have different small sessions where people can get together and do crafts like making vision boards, posters and other motivational items that can encourage positivity among teenagers,” the junior said.
Creative for Social Change club meets every other Thursday during lunch in Room 22. The club posts information regarding its activities on its Instagram account @csc.sunnyhills. For more information, contact Jeong at [email protected] or Choi at [email protected].
