With “Payaso de Rodeo” blaring in the background, members of the Multicultural Club hit the dance floor in the cafeteria with a different sort of accompaniment: three assistant principals and Principal Dr. Bill Tommaney.
They shimmy to the left, to the right, up and back, all the while laughing loudly.
It was just another fun party thrown by the fastest-growing club at WHS.
Last year, 35 members joined this fairly new club, some of whom attended monthly cultural parties held in sponsor Julie Tarter’s classroom in H Hall.
Now, there are over 150 members, so they moved their celebrations to a larger space. Weekly Wednesday meetings, now with a microphone and speaker, moved to the cafeteria, too.
According to club president Alexis Ochoa, the club’s growth is due to the belief that the best way to gain more members is to talk to students about how great of an experience the multicultural club is.
“When talking to a student, you make a stronger connection because you can relate to any topic instead of talking to an adult,” Ochoa said. “You can make new friends, try new foods, maybe expand your playlist.”
So, what is the multicultural club all about, and how did it snowball and lure Dr. T to the dance floor—not just at one of the gatherings but also during the Multicultural Flash Mob performed at the Oct. 25 Pep Rally?
The Multicultural Club isn’t just about celebrating differences – it’s about building connections. This year, members explored themes of unity and understanding through meetings and monthly cultural spotlights. Each meeting fosters a sense of belonging, reminding everyone that although different backgrounds vary, WHS is all part of one community.
Junior Sara Oliveira helped start the multicultural club last year with her sister because they wanted to unite everyone in the school.
“I’m from Brazil, so I know what it’s like to be from a different culture and be left out sometimes,” Oliveira said. “So we started it just to involve more people who aren’t really involved in the school and just unite people if they’re foreign exchange students or if they just moved here. Also, we just wanted a place that people could, no matter where they’re from, just come together and come to one place.”
Ochoa said the club has grown by offering a space where students can proudly share their heritage and learn about others. The point is always making the club’s activities highlight the beauty of diversity. Members say the club has changed how they see the world, and they’re excited to continue growing together.
“Obviously, the teachers help us with the permissions and our field trips, but once it comes to planning our events, it is all students,” Ochoa adds. “I believe we are able to achieve better things with the understanding of our members.”
Since the beginning of the year, the club has held festive gatherings celebrating Hispanic heritage with traditional Mexican, Cuban, and Chilean foods. Shortly after that, it celebrated Texan culture with American foods.
“I have learned a lot by going to multicultural parties,” said senior Avery Johnston. “I enjoyed trying different foods that I’ve never tried before, and I enjoy making new friends.”
The club also gets good exposure from its food booths in the front foyer, where it often sells out its famous elotes, which only some students know about. Elotes are, by the way, corn cut up and placed in a cup with mayonnaise, butter, cheese, Tajin, and Valentina.
The money raised allows the club to throw bigger and better parties with more food selections depending on the culture or holiday being celebrated. Profits are also used for field trips to places like the Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine.
“I love how much the club has grown,” said Tarter. “I’m super proud of my officers, how they picked up the things from last year and talked about how they will make this year the best and continue to grow and maybe become one of the biggest clubs here at Weatherford.”
Ochoa said it has taken a lot of hard work to get where they are now.
“It is all worth it because everyone is willing to pitch in and bring anything they offer to share with the club,” she said.
According to Ochoa, the ultimate goal “is to teach new perspectives to every student that has piqued their interest in our club. Honestly, as long as you’re having fun and learning, we know we did a good job.”