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THE LITTLE HAWK
THELITTLEHAWK.COM
October 12, 2023
Community Inclusion Club members walk together in this year’s homecoming parade. PHOTO BY MOLLY SAVAGE
Involvement for everyone
COMMUNITY INCLUSION CLUB
Community Inclusion Club’s goals, events, and partnership with Sparkles
By Kate Meis Everyone is invited to get involved when it comes to Community Inclusion Club. After hosting its ice cream social to kick off the year, the organization is on to planning upcoming events for the fall. “Community Inclusion Club, otherwise known as CIC works to create socially inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. We’re trying to build friendships and connect people in our schools so that everyone feels welcome and no one feels alone,” Club President Eli Foster ‘25 said. The junior has been a part of the club since his freshman year, spending his sophomore and now junior years on the club’s leadership team. The organization hosts many events throughout the school year, trying to organize an activity for its members at least once a month. “They’re basically big hangout sessions where we just invite everyone to come, and then we have a party. So just recently, we had
CLUBS
our ice cream social recruitment event.” Foster said. The club’s recent ice cream social was to aid in one of CIC’s continual goals of growing and expanding as a student organization. “We want to get this club known to as many people as we can and continue to keep an inclusive space for everyone. Everyone is welcome. [The ice cream social] was for new people to come and to see what our club is about or to come and decide if they want to sign up, and to get the year started off. I know last minute it had to be moved inside because of the pouring rain, but we had a great turnout,” Foster said. As CIC gets back into full swing the club has begun planning its first events, hoping to change a past event so it’s accessible to all. “In the past years, we’ve gone to Wilson’s Apple Orchard but we’ve decided not to do that because it’s not fully inclusive for people with wheelchairs,” Foster said. This year the club is looking to have a Fall event at Kroul’s Pumpkin Patch to make sure all can participate.
One of the club’s other events last year took place downtown at Unimpaired. Everyone was welcomed to drinks, pizza, and whatever else they wanted. These types of meetings throughout the year are simply considered to be big group hangouts by Foster. Besides CIC’s casual monthly events, the club has participated in both City High’s and the University of Iowa’s Homecoming Parades, walking as a group. “Our biggest event last year was the endof-the-year party. We had that down at the Oddfellows Lodge about a block from [City High]. At the party, we ordered Oasis for everyone to eat, had a waterslide, and there were a bunch of fun games we did there too.” Foster said. Besides its larger events, CIC also pairs with City High Sparkles, an inclusive cheer and dance team that gives students with and without disabilities the opportunity to participate in a school spirit activity. “We learn routines and perform at pep assemblies and certain sporting events at City High. We have also been given the opportu-
nity in the past to perform at a public library event, a county event, and arts fest. Sparkles helps form friendships and strives to create a positive environment where everyone feels welcome,” One of Sparkle’s team captains, Katy Harmsen ‘24 said. “[Sparkles] is also welcome to any new members. Anyone is welcome to join, we want as many people as we can in Sparkles.” Foster said. Sparkles plans to practice Fridays during advisory as the year moves forward. For more information, you can contact Katy Harmsen, Penelope Wilmoth, or the team’s advisor Laura Schwab. Community Inclusion Club hopes to begin meeting during advisories in addition to their monthly events. The goal is to meet once a week during the school day to play games and hang out with anyone who wants to attend. “There’s always something for someone to do,” Foster stated. The club uses Instagram (@ciccityhigh) to share fliers and announcements with information about all their upcoming events.
United: MESU’s goals and plans City High’s Multi-Ethnic Student Union elects this school year’s secretary at its first assembly of the year
By Ramatou Diallo The president of the club MESU, Wisdom Konu ‘24, expresses his inspirational ideas for the emerging club MESU: The Multi Ethnic Student Union with the goal to promote diversity and shine recognition on students of color and their efforts towards the school. Wisdom Konu ‘24 took upon the role of president starting this year, had previous experience in leadership roles similar to this one, “I’m very passionate about the purpose of MESU and I would
say it’s my passion project because for example, Culture Day, which I participated in, was a thing last year that was really well received by many. So hosting more events where people can feel recognized as well as where people can learn more about other ethnic groups is very important to me,” Konu said. Some of the events MESU has taken part in include Black History Month Week similar to Spirit Week and the annual Black Student Summit Field Trip which includes multiple workshops, keynote speakers, and a variety of food choices to choose from. These
events as well as weekly Monday meetings during advisory draw everyone together or in Wisdom’s words, “United.” For one of MESU’s first meetings, the group met and held speeches to decide on a secretary. Senior Edjounise Tertulien was elected Monday as MESU’s secretary for the 2023-2024 school year. “I’m so grateful and appreciative for this opportunity to help promote diversity in our school and I look forward to being in this position, where I can assist in helping shape our school’s culture,” Tertulien ‘24 said.
President Wisdom Konu ‘24 leads MESU’s second meeting. PHOTO BY ESTHER OYUNGE
Though it’s his first year being President of City High’s MESU, Konu has many different ideas including collaborations with other clubs like Student Senate in ways that could promote both clubs generously as well as the efforts of people of color at City, with the two clubs collaborating on video
projects for every Heritage month that occurs during the school year. At the end of the day, Konu wants the student body to know that the future of MESU is in good hands and plans for MESU to be “A club that stays branded and distinct from other clubs, as well as a comfort place for POC.”
