International Club is a club at LHS where students studying a foreign language can get together and have a great time. The club is run by the foreign language teachers and they each share the duties of taking charge of the club month by month. Any student who is currently studying a foreign language, has studied one in the past or has an interest in one is welcome to attend the monthly meetings.

Unlike National Honor Society, DECA and several other clubs, International Club is a laid back environment where students can spend time with others who enjoy learning a foreign language.

“If you are in any language, you are invited, even if you’re not studying in the language at the time,” said LHS Spanish teacher Kimberly Tollinger. “It is very informal, just an opportunity to get together and have fun once a month, and then we also try to include a couple service projects throughout the year. It’s very non-committal, relaxed, just a place to get together that’s with people who are also studying a language, have, plan to or want to.”

Every month, around 15 to 20 students show up to the International Club meetings, and when the club held a picnic this past September, even more students than that attended. Even though International Club may not seem like much, it is an important and growing club at LHS that has existed for many years.

“They’ve always had [International Club] so we want to continue it because there are some kids who aren’t in sports and they’re not in music, and we think it kind of fills the gap for kids who maybe aren’t in those other activities,” said Tollinger. “We just like the whole idea of having fun with the language. That’s kind of the big thing, they don’t necessarily speak the languages during the activities, it’s just supposed to be kind of a fun, relaxed setting where, yes, language is involved, but it’s not just that.”

Not only is International Club a way to relax and have fun with friends from foreign language classes, it is a way to learn more about other languages as well.

“Anybody is welcome anytime and because the different teachers are sharing it now, it is a way to get to know some of the other languages and other teachers,” said Tollinger. “One month, the German teacher is in charge, one month it’s the French teacher, so it is kind of a way for kids to expose themselves.”

Catch the next International Club meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 3:30 p.m.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo Provided by Kim Tollinger

Some of the foreign language teachers pose for a picture while making fleece blankets in International Club.