Senior Alex Almanza wanted to ensure that students and faculty felt comfortable discussing political and social issues following the presidential election in 2016.
“It troubled me that no one really dared or had any desire to hold a civil conversation with someone with a different view,” Almanza said.
To combat this phenomenon, Almanza decided to create WOKE, a new club at Grayslake North that educates students and faculty on civil discourse and strives to make all feel welcomed and appreciated at the school.
“We knew we had to step in and promote tools [for] such information on civil discourse for students that we knew would help diffuse the social tension within our school, all while educating faculty on how to handle situations,” Almanza said.
Aside from her involvement in school, Almanza created change within the Lake County community by founding Lake County DACA Council. She also plans on continuing this trend as she goes to college with the intent to major in political science and pursue a career as a US diplomat. “Finding your niche, whether it be a social justice club, a fine arts club, or a language club, will allow you to find purpose in your life, and overall improve your high school experience by finding a group of people whom you can truly relate to,” Almanza said