After a year-long hiatus, clubs across campus have been ready for an enthusiastic return, and the student ambassadors were no exception. On Oct. 11, the club resumed hosting monthly lunches in the group project room.

“The purpose of the lunch is generally the same as our club, which is to reach out to students,” vice president Hallie Yonker said, “not only new students but also students that might not have a place to sit at lunch.”

Although the student ambassadors have just resumed hosting lunches, the event had been a monthly occurrence up until last year, during which most of the club’s activities were cancelled due to COVID-19. 

“So many of us have experienced a kind of ostracization during the pandemic, so there’s more of a heart for our club now,” Yonker said. 

Like other clubs, the student ambassadors program had to adjust to a period of dormancy last year.  However, by advertising the club to students and parents through the PTSA Facebook page, they gained over 30 new members.

“My friend had posted about the student ambassadors on her Instagram, and she sent me the information to sign up,” fundraiser coach Anna Romagera said. “There wasn’t any paperwork to fill out and it was really easy to join.”

Because many freshmen and sophomores attended school virtually the previous year, finding a place on campus can be especially challenging. The student ambassadors program feels that their initiative is more vital than ever in the midst of a disconnected student body. 

“Because of the quarantine, there are a lot of students who this is their first time on campus, whether they are freshmen or sophomores who were online last year,” Yonker said. “We’re just trying to help everyone find their spot and find their group.”

Yonker expects that the recently-created student ambassadors’ Instagram page will make engaging with students significantly easier. 

“Before, we had to go through PTSA to get things approved because they’re our umbrella organization, but now we’ll be able to post things directly from the students ourselves,” Yonker said.

The club is planning a number of events for the remainder of the year, including a study hall and a partnership with the seasonal pumpkin patch located on the student parking lot. Their first lunch was held Sept. 13, and the next is scheduled to take place sometime in November. 

“The study hall is  to give some students the chance to build relationships and meet friends in similar classes to do homework,” Romagera said, “and decorating pumpkins from the pumpkin patch is going to be a fun activity for both new and returning students too.”