The brand-new Greek Club at Highland Park High School, founded and led by Anasia Kambitsis, seeks to highlight Greek culture in Highland Park High School and make positive changes in the community. “I created the club because I saw all these clubs like Asian Culture Club or African American Culture Club, and I thought it would be nice to add another aspect of diversity with the Greek Club,” Anasia says.
Despite its recent introduction through Anasia’s initiative and the support of advisor Ms. Paxton, the Greek Club has made a name for itself. They serve Greek dishes at meetings—likes Patitsio, a baked pasta dish with ground meat and béchamel sauce—and attract students from all cultural backgrounds. According to Anasia, the first meeting gathered around 50 student attendees, and the club’s popularity has grown since. Greek Club member Maddie Hulme provides, “People were talking about it, then I saw a post on Instagram. The food has been good and the club is fun.”
Due to the Greek Club’s popularity, Anasia looked for a way to use it to help others. “Right now, we have chocolates from Ellinikon, and we are selling them for a kid named Leo who is a Greek kid who suffers from a rare disease.” Once the club gets approval from the principal, Mr. Lassiter, the members plan on selling chocolates at school to raise money for Leo’s medical bills and research on his condition. Until then, Anasia explains, “Every meeting has a cultural aspect and raising money for a foundation.”
Anasia is always looking for more students who are interested in learning about Greek culture and willing to try something new. “Even if you're scared…I think you should come to a meeting and see what it's about. You are always welcome!”