Arlington High School Diversity Council
Jayla Nelson proudly holds up the artwork designed by senior Ellie Kikuchi for the MLK assembly. “We asked students to create artwork for the assembly and all the pieces turned out amazing,” Teagan Sutherland commented.
Despite its small-town feel, Arlington is only continuing to expand as Seattle populations continue to migrate north. However as the community continues to increase in population, so has racial diversity. According to AHS administration, approximately 450 students identify as a non-white ethnicity, and the administration was looking for a way to better represent those students in the school. At the beginning of the 2020 school year, the administration sent out a request to staff to nominate students that would be interested in serving their school community on a diversity council. Twelve students were selected, and in November the diversity council was officially established as a principal’s advisory council.
Principal Fish commented, “ The objective of the council is to advise the administration and ASB Leadership on how to make our school more focused on diversity, inclusion, and equity.” Currently, the council is working with Leadership for the February Martin Luther King assembly, and brainstorming ideas of how to better celebrate and represent Black History month in the school. Mr. Fish’s goal for the council is for every student to walk in through the front doors and immediately get a sense of community and belonging.
Senior Anne Fernandez is one of the students serving on the diversity council this year. Even though Anne will only be able to contribute one year to the council she still sticks to her goals. “I would like to leave a legacy of respect for one another. If we have a solid group of students pushing for more respect we can make the school a better place.”
Similarly, Diversity Club President and senior Jayla Nelson will only be able to serve one year on the council, but her aspirations extended beyond her limited time. “I’m hoping that people will be better educated on diversity in the future. There are situations that we go through that some people would never even know so if we can achieve a better overall education.”
As Arlington continues to expand, so will the diversity council. In order to establish a school culture of respect and belonging it is important to recognize the needs of students. With the help of the diversity council, Arlington High School will continue to serve its student body.
