Page 40 - October 2017 The Castle Pines Connection proof

40 CastlePinesConnection.com
New club at RCHS focuses on global events and adventures
By Sarah Bermingham, RCHS intern writer; photos courtesy of Maria Pangalos and Shreya Naik
Adventure Club International members Shreya Sundaresh and Shreya Naik at the Forced From Home interactive exhibit in Boulder.
Students at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) are lucky to have hundreds of clubs available to join, and anyone can start a new one of their own. All students have the opportunity to meet up with like-minded students and do things they are passionate about, whether that means joining a club or creating something new. There is something for everyone, which is part of what makes this school such a wonderful place.
Maria Pangalos, a senior at RCHS, Castle Pines resident and an intern writer for
The Connection, started Adventure Club International (ACI) this school year. Pangalos plans to lead the group on hikes, spend time outside with new friends, and encourage others to try new things. The club will also discuss current events and help the community by volunteering. When asked why she started
the club, Pangalos answered, “I am passionate about enacting change in my community and around the world.”
ACI focuses on three parts: activism, advocation and adventure. Members can volunteer to be activists for positive change in the local community as well as communities far from home. The club will talk about international relations, politics and global issues and advocate for what each person believes. Members will also discover exciting new things as they explore together. By working together, the group hopes to create a better world to explore.
ACI is already off to a great start. As one of their first trips, a few members went to Boulder to see the global refugee crisis exhibit, Forced From Home. The interactive exhibition put together by Doctors Without Borders took members through the lives of a refugee.
ACI has more hikes, adventures and volunteer trips planned for the near future. Pangalos is looking forward to a wonderful first year for ACI. “ I am excited to see my peers grow as individuals and to connect with students who have similar interests as I do,” Pangalos said.
Members who viewed the Forced From Home exhibit in Boulder received passes modeled after refugee documents.