The roar of students’ laughter is thunderous. Metal tables clank, shoes squeak, and feet strike the floor as students run to pick up stray ping pong balls that have wedged themselves in cracks in the floor. A hidden safe haven for Mongolian students at South, Ping Pong Club offers a way for cultures to meld over a shared activity, Tsetsegmaa Gomez, Ping Pong Club Sponsor and Multilingual Learners Teacher, said.

Every Tuesday after school in the West Cafeteria, a group of around 20 students, most of whom are Mongolian, drag out tables provided by the SAO, and spend a few hours playing ping pong, laughing, and chatting, Gomez said. After spending an exhausting day switching between two languages and trying to assimilate in an English–centered community, Ping Pong Club gives Mongolian students a relaxing space to feel seen, build confidence, and take pride in their efforts, Gomez said. Mongolian students often navigate a significant cultural divide between their homes and their schools, having to rapidly adapt to fast-paced surroundings to keep up with their peers, Gomez added.

“Multilingual students walk a bridge between the very traditional style of life [at home], and a very different environment and language when they come to school,” Gomez said.

For freshman Indra Tamir, Ping Pong Club member, having a club sponsor who she can connect with through a shared culture and language makes the school day more enjoyable, she said. Though she has also made friends with people of other ethnicities through the club, in her eyes, Ping Pong Club functions primarily as a space where she can engage with students who share cultural experiences, Tamir said.

“I feel more connected to my Mongolian friends,” Tamir said. “[Ping Pong Club] gives me the opportunity where I can interact [and] speak Mongolian.”

While Ping Pong Club helps South’s Mongolian population at South feel more at home in the building, that is not its only advantage, junior Burentugs Batbayar, Ping Pong Club member, said. While many members value having that community of Mongolians, Batbayar also values the cross-cultural aspect, he said.

“There’s a lot of inclusivity and diversity in [the club], [which] brings out more people,” Batbayar said.

All members agree that being able to tie in a passion for ping pong with their Mongolian community is the highlight of their day, senior Enerel Battulga, Ping Pong Club member, said.

“I’m really happy being a part of Ping Pong Club and a member of the Mongolian community,” Battulga said. “That’s something I [really honor].”

Although Ping Pong Club has made Mongolian students feel more comfortable at South, there is still more people can do, Gomez said. Small things like asking students how to pronounce their names, the meaning behind those names, and asking about their background can have a large, positive impact, she added.

“Ask anything about the culture,” Gomez said. “Don’t be afraid to talk to [Mongolian students] and hang out with them. Language is tricky, [and] sometimes the student might have an accent or have English as a second language. But, you never know, there’s some interesting things they might say. Just talk to them.”