The Leesville Liaisons met with new students during SMART Lunch on October 12 to have a “October Fall Games and Treats.” The purpose of the get-together was to learn more about the students new to the area.
The first three meetings were during the first week of school, with the objective of helping the new students settle in. “We have Chick-fil-A brought in by our PTSA, or Subway sandwiches, or other lunches… That way students have a place to come to the first few days of school… Lunch is usually the hardest time for any new student,” said Nadara Albanese, an advisor for the liaisons. Dr. Jessica Huber is also an advisor.
After that, the club does at least one activity a month. “We call them ‘lunch socials,’” said Albanese. “Usually we have a theme, like this month is going to be a fall theme and next month is going to be decorating cookies, or a holiday theme. Sometimes we’ll have ice cream parties, movie parties.”
Most students go to these meetings for the purpose of meeting new students. “I wanted to meet new students, like me, so that’s it’s easier to make friends,” said Imani Levy, a ninth grader who came from Connecticut.
Students from other countries come to the meetings too. Lucas Issai is a ninth grader who came from Paraguay five months ago. Leesville is the first school they have attended in the United States. “The meetings help me adjust [to Leesville] because here I can meet new people and talk to them,” said Issai.
Barbora Stara, an eleventh grade exchange student from the Czech Republic, also showed up to the meeting. “I really wanted to make new friends… [the meetings have] helped me adapt to Leesville because I’m new and this is my first year [in the US]… I’m so glad,” said Barbora.
A total of thirteen new students came to the “Fall Games and Treats” lunch social. “It has gotten bigger. We have more liaisons ever year and new students, too. We do more events; we have more people coming to events… It’s great,” said Huber.
