There are many extracurricular activities at Wesleyan including sports, fine arts and more, but many are unaware of the academic clubs. There are exactly 31 student clubs in the high school at Wesleyan. Several of the popular academic clubs include the Academic Quiz Bowl, Debate Club, History Bowl, Math Team and Model Arab League.
Each February, Americans come together to celebrate the culture and identity of African Americans in our country’s history. This is known as Black History Month or African American History Month. According to the History Channel, Black History Month was first officially recognized in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. February was the chosen month because both President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas were born in this month. Also, every year since its official beginning, the month has been given a specific theme. The 2020 theme is “African Americans and the Vote,” and this is in honor of the sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (which granted African American men the right to vote), and the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment (which granted American women the right to vote).
Every other year, the Wesleyan Lower School teachers and students celebrate and decorate for Black History Month. Each class is focused on a different famous African American man or woman. The class will research their activist and put a display about that person’s life and their contributions to the Civil Rights movement on their classroom door. On Feb. 12, instead of having classes, the lower school students took turns learning about activists from other classes and teaching those classes about their own activist.
2019 was an important year in film. From big-budget blockbusters such as “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and “Avengers: Endgame,” to biopics such as “Rocketman” and “Harriett,” audiences were entranced by stellar performances and original stories, as well as cutting-edge visual effects. On Feb. 9, the 92nd Academy Awards were held, and historic achievements were made that left members in the audience and viewers watching at home astonished.
This story mentions suicide. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies is urged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34 in the United States. Studies show that lack of education and resources regarding mental health could be a reason why some depressed teens could make an attempt on their own lives. The stigma of mental illness discourages many teenagers and young adults to ask for help. However, it is essential to remember that there are other people out there that experience the same things every day, even some of the world’s most adored stars that seem to live perfect, lavish lifestyles.
On Feb. 1, the Wesleyan high school students got to take a break from the stress of everyday life and school and enjoy a wonderful night at the Winter Dance. Students put on their best attire for the masquerade-themed Winter Dance and headed over to Hoover Gymnasium for a memorable night. The Winter Dance is always highly anticipated by the Wesleyan students. The boys took a break from the nerves of asking the girls to each high school dance, and the girls took their big chance to ask the boys. Student government spent copious amount of time planning and preparing the Winter Dance so it would be the best Winter Dance yet. After months of planning the dance, it had finally arrived, and students were eager for the masquerade ball. With the famed DJ Fat Snacks providing some awesome tunes on the dance floor, the lively photo booth, the delicious refreshments, and the mysterious table of masks, the students and faculty raved about the success of the dance.
