The aroma of fresh food filled Patriot Plaza as students crowded around club booths, eager to get a taste. On Mar. 28, after the school day, 12 club organizations gathered in Patriot Plaza for the second Food Fair of the 24-25 school year. The food fair brought together clubs and students for a day filled with delicious food, fundraising, and community spirit.
As clubs consider how to best allocate their gathered funds, Key Club, a service-oriented organization, uses its profits to support both upcoming fundraising and the community.
“We might donate it to an organization like Pediatric trauma or sometimes we’ll use that money for future fundraisers. For example, there’s a fishing derby next month and we’re going to be collaborating with High Tech High and selling baked goods, so it might go where depending on how we distribute it,” Service Coordinator, Kaylee Rodriguez, 12, said.
Another service club is Bring Change To Mind, a club dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and raising awareness about the importance of mental well-being. As the club continues to engage with others, it works its mission goals into its participation.
“I liked that everyone was able to engage with it and join together as a school and help clubs in need. I was surprised that a lot of clubs sold out. Actually, I think we should continue to do it; it’s good for the students and good for us clubs,” Social Media Manager, Abril Colin, 12, said.
HelpHopeBloom, a new club devoted to supporting women and children in the Escondido community. Moving forward, they’re focusing on a partnership with TrueCare’s Women’s Health Center to help provide essential resources for families in need.
“I wish we did more of them. Kids were super involved and happy we did really well; we sold out everything in 45 minutes. I wished we baked more. It was a great way for the community to come together,” HelpHopeBloom Adviser, Amber Polis, said.
Hoping to utilize the food fair to get their name out there is computer science. Despite the decline in computer science classes on campus, the Computer Science club has seen more progress than ever. Even with the need to combine two computer science classes due to low enrollment, students continue to pursue their passion for coding through the club. The club is channeling its fundraising effort to support their next hour of code, helping to introduce students to the world of programming.
“When we all sold out, I was like, ‘let’s go!’ I felt accomplished in achieving our goal because when we were talking about it in class we thought there was going to be no students. So it felt really good to double our profits,” Computer Science club member, Clark Ibarra, 12, said.
During the lively event, students wandered around, getting a taste of different club activities and the after-school atmosphere.
“The atmosphere was really nice. It was fun with your friends, and you also met other friends who were there,” Diego Linares, 12, said.
