From the Dungeon & Dragon’s club to the Rock Painting club, the student body’s interests are vastly diverse. At Lake Highland, many people hope to create genuine and impactful clubs and organizations that go beyond Upper School itself. An avenue where this occurs is the representation of media. Whether students aim to create podcasts that highlight societal issues, produce films about school sports, or write articles on social media to involve younger students, Lake Highland students are going to lead the next generation of global activists. 

The Student Sentinel

Whether it’s Apple News, Instagram stories, or messages from family and friends, people learn about current events through different avenues. For Daniel Lui and Samantha Choung, grade 11, increasing the student body’s awareness about life outside of Lake Highland is their goal. Their recently created club Student Sentinel writes articles that describe newsworthy local, national, and international events. By meeting on a bi-weekly basis, the club works on writing articles and formatting posts through social media—specifically Instagram. This inspirational spark is grounded in the desire to amplify student voices and perspectives while raising awareness. Samantha notes, “Everyone contributes to Student Sentinel. The majority of the time, the ideas come from members of the club and their own interests: from their own experiences in Orlando, from their passions in certain political areas, and collaborative group discussions.”

In addition to growing awareness through Instagram posts, social media has also acted as the platform to support the same community they research. In September of last year, Student Sentinel held a campus-wide donation drive for Haiti, which had recently been devastated by a major 7.2 magnitude earthquake, per Relief Web. The fundraiser raised $14,470, which Student Sentinel donated to the Haitian Health Foundation. Daniel Liu emphasized the value of these organizations, describing how, “This organization directly works with Haitian communities, providing access to healthcare, education, and more.” By sparking change, Student Sentinel not only talks about headlines but influences them too. He furthers: “We all have a part to play in both the local and global community, and Student Sentinel is our way to do that.” Overall, when a “hot-button” topic appears, Student Sentinel seeks to provide the clearest information to the student body with a quick turnaround, ultimately informing students about what is happening in the world around them and encouraging them to take action as well—actions that make Lake Highland students more visible global citizens. 

The Podcast Club

It seems like a trend that everyone wants to start their own podcast. The Joe Rogan Experience, Impulsive by Logan Paul, and This American Life are quintessential examples of people coming together to talk about specific topics with very individualized perspectives. At Lake Highland, Aishwarya Vangala, grade 10, attempts to create a name for The Podcast Club. 

After making two personal podcasts, Aishwarya began her deep-rooted interest in that form of media. Aishwariya recognizes: “I listen to podcasts basically every day. I had a lot of ideas for what I wanted to do, and I felt like creating a student-led school podcast—a fun way to incorporate everything.” With that motivation, Aishwarya did just that.

From talking about sports debates, current events, or international news figures, we all know that every podcast is different. What is so unique about The Podcast Club? Aishwariya explained that during their weekly meeting, they do a, “Range of things.” From looking at the equipment and learning how to utilize all of its features to brainstorming creative ideas and recording them, The Podcast Club is entirely led by the members themselves. As such, the club votes on which ideas to talk about during their episodes and divides time to make sure that everyone is involved. In the past, they have competed in the STN National Competition and recorded an episode for LGBTQ+ History Month, in collaboration with the One Pulse Club.

With extensive experience in this subject, The Podcast Club is able to expand its goal—provide a voice for students and give everyone a platform to share their ideas ` speak about prevalent societal issues through their perspectives. Lake Highland’s welcoming environment includes a community of passionate problem solvers who want to make a difference. The Podcast Club is just one of many forms for Lake Highland to promote this purpose.