The Brazilian Festival was one of the many activities that the Portuguese Club has done. It is also a favorite activity among various of the members of the club. Pictures above are: (from left to right) Junior Dayana Ortiz, Senior Fabiola Arias, Sophomore Leticia DelReal, Seniors Anayeli Miranda, Alejandra Renteria, Elsy Mendoza, Juniors Eduardo Mayen, Zach Lee, and Sophomore Antonio Calderon.
By Patricia Ortiz-Corona
Oi, Como você está?, and menina are all words in Portuguese. Portuguese Club is dedicated to learning a new language as well as to learn more about the Brazilian and Portuguese cultures.
Last year was that club’s first year and they nominated some students to be officers for the 2012-2013 school year. The club is sponsored by Señora Constancia Wendt. The officers of the club are senior Elsy Mendoza who is President, Co-President is senior Alejandra Renteria, Vice President is senior Anayeli Miranda-Perdomo, the Treasurer is junior Monica Renteria and the secretary position is shared by junior Dayana Ortiz and senior Adilene Peynado.
The whole reason the club started was because, “Senora Wendt just picked several Hispanic students, including me, to begin the club. We liked the club and decided to make it a club for everyone at school. This is the first year that Portuguese Club exist at PHS and think its a great thing!” stated junior Yoselin Galeano.
The club is not only about meeting once a month and learning about the Brazilian and Portuguese cultures, the club has done so much more than that. The club has taken field trips to Notre Dame for the Brazilian Festival and to Chicago for another festival. The members of the club also have the opportunity to try out the cuisine of both countries. The members of the club have also stayed after school to watch movies about the culture.
According to sophomore Olivia Baca the club has also, “had a breakfast meeting and we [were] currently doing a secret Santa. We wrote names and our locker number on a piece of paper and someone would pick out our name. You [would] put a friendly note on that person’s locker or you could give them a small gift (candy, pencil, note).” Then after a couple of weeks of leaving secret notes and treats the club was going to get together to meet who each person’s secret Santa was. According to Mendoza the club has a, “Christmas party [after school] to exchange out gifts for amigo secreto [secret friend or secret Santa].” Mendoza also adds that the plans for Portuguese Club to not end with secret Santa and that the club, “plan[s] to go out to Brazilian events [and] have fun learning new things and many more!!!” A. Renteria also adds that one of the clubs future plans is to have a fundraiser in order to, “bring Samba One Brazilian Dance Group to Plymouth so we can show the community a little of how much Brazilians like to have fun and party.” She also adds that they plan to make this event one that the whole family can enjoy.
The rain did not stop the Portuguese Club from going out and having some fun at the Chicago Brazilian Festival. Photo Contributed by Monica Renteria.
Out of all the activities that the club has had there have been ones that students have liked more than others. M. Renteria stated that her favorite activity for the club has been the, “Brazilian Festival! It was so much fun, we spent a whole Sunday in the festival and even though the weather was awful (raining), it didn’t stop the festival at all. At the end getting all wet from the rain was worth the fun!” Ortiz also concurs with M. Renteria in the sense that her favorite activity has been the trip to Chicago to see the Brazilian Festival.
By starting the Portuguese Club all of its members are surely bringing a new zest and culture to the halls of PHS.