Wednesdays after school, the tight knit Eastern European Club members gather into room 2107 to bond over their shared experiences and culture. The club shines a spotlight on a new Eastern European country each week and members get to learn about each countries culture through fun activities and videos.

The club was created this year due to the Russia-Ukraine War with the intention to unify the growing population of Eastern      European students, senior Annie Ostrozhansky, Social Media Manager, explained. The club, which meets every other week, educates members on different heritages including lesser known Eastern European countries, Ostrozhansky explained.

“It’s not just about Ukraine or Poland, it’s all Eastern European countries,” Ostrozhansky said. “We have similar cultures, and similar interests. [Eastern European] people should all have a way to connect with each other, so the club [was created].”

Even for members who are not from Eastern Europe, the club is an outlet to participate in many unique activities and be informed about Eastern European cultures, junior Alex Lehene, Eastern European club Vice President, explained. Unification through cultural similarities and differences is the best part about the club, Lehene added.

“My favorite part is getting to know other people from my culture as well as similar cultures, and realizing how similar, but different, they are,” Lehene said. “Our club has a diversity of people such as Romanians [and] Ukrainians, it just brings a lot of     people together.”

Each week the club celebrates the different cultures through presentations, games, movies, and music, compiled into a number of different activities. They have done scavenger hunts, crafts, and watched movies. The club is a celebration of all ethnicities, as well as an opportunity to meet others with similar backgrounds, Ostrozhansky said.

“We pick a new country [each week], we learn something about it, and people in the club that are from that country share,” Ostrozhansky said. “We’ve done fundraisers, a cultural food [day], watch movies, and we listen to music [from the country].”

Despite the range in ethnicities, grades, and ages amongst members, Eastern European club acts to unify students, through similarities such as traditions, beliefs, or family history, Lehene explained. Many members come from immigrant backgrounds, which allows them to share their family’s journey with other students who have had similar experiences.

“[Eastern European club] is a [great] way to connect with people and learn about [others] who are different from you,” Ostrazhansky said. “My favorite part is the people in it. [There are] a bunch of different people [of] different ages, and we would never be friends if it [were not] for the club.”