DANVILLE — Sarah Sharp wants Danville Middle School students to learn the culture behind the Spanish language.
That's why the 13-year-old and fellow eighth-grader Katie Bonomo, 14, pushed for the establishment of the Spanish Club at their school.
Sarah serves as vice president and Katie as president.
"At the end of the year we had fundraising ideas and this year went to a school board meeting, where it came to fruition," Sarah said.
The club is one of three new clubs at the school approved recently by the board. The other two are for art and drama.
Spanish Club Adviser Meagan Bond said she prepared a purpose for the club and an overview of activities for the board to consider.
The club held its first meeting Tuesday at 7:05 a.m. and will be meeting at that time until 7:35 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the school. She said it is open to any middle school student. In January, club members will decide when they will meet an additional one or two days a month after school.
"I have 32 students signed up who are interested in coming," said Bond, who is one of the Spanish teachers at the school. She has taught at Danville for three years and taught for three years in State College before that. "I had the opportunity to be part of two great Spanish clubs in high school and college," she said.
On the first day of their meeting, club members wrote their names, ages and other information, such as favorite animal, favorite class and favorite color in Spanish on posters hung in the hallway. They also wrote in Spanish names of animals, foods and other items to be displayed in the hallway.
"My goal is to get the students speaking Spanish from all different levels. They may need extra help in the classroom. I want them to be able to come in and practice what they have learned and help each other," Bond said.
She hopes to take the club officers to a Spanish festival in Montoursville, where Bond is from.
Bond hopes students can prepare cards for Spanish-speaking residents of area hospitals and nursing homes.
"I attend a church with a Spanish population and I'd love to have the people from there come here after school so students can practice speaking with native speakers," she said.
Julian Hardin, also 11 and in sixth grade, said he wants to learn the culture of people from Spanish-speaking countries.
"I want to learn Spanish and to speak better," said sixth-grader Daniel Walker, 11.
