A new club at Blue Springs High School not only celebrates Asian culture, but is also building a community of students interested in sharing each individual’s heritage and background.
The Asian Cultural Exploration (ACE) Club began last year when current club President and junior Raymond Vo felt a need to create a space to celebrate and educate his and other students’ cultures. The club created a Wildcat TV video for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month for the first time in BSHS school history, has visited multicultural fairs at elementary schools, partnered with the US at BSHS diversity club, and presented at staff meetings in multiple schools.
"ACE club allows me to share my culture with many other Wildcats, and to build an inclusive community that connects through Asian culture,” Vo said. “Without ACE, I would've never met so many people that have the same experiences and background as me. It has made me proud of my heritage and legacy that will be left at school after I graduate."
The ACE Club recently presented to Franklin Smith Elementary’s Journey Around the World Club. The club participated in FSE’s first Multicultural Night last year and third grade teacher Rani Khakh liked their messaging.
“I am so impressed with the students,” Khakh said. “Their presentations were informative and engaging. Most of all, my students learned so much about the cultures presented which will create a better understanding and acceptance of people who have different cultural backgrounds and heritage from them.”
FSE third grade student Dylan Peyton learned a lot through the ACE Club visit. “The presentation was so cool,” he said. “I learned that in Vietnam the color red means good luck. I learned the Hawaiian dance and that it is a way of communicating and telling a story. I can’t wait to learn more.”
Wildcat student Angela Castro Sanchez said ACE Club is about sharing multiple cultures and stories. “ACE is one of the most educational and fun clubs I've been involved in. Something very beautiful within the club is that every member is different in their unique background, getting together to learn about Asian culture. Also, you appreciate every person with a leadership role, from the president to the event planner, and the media team. They worked so hard to form the club it is today and what it can be in the future.”
ACE is eyeing future growth and currently seeking local sponsors. Interested parties can contact the group at [email protected].