Over the last few years, Norwood High has been a part of the WAVE, formerly known as AWOD, community. WAVE stands for “We All Value Everyone,” a name that this year’s club members voted on, and continues to show that everyone at Norwood High does matter.
Every month from November to April, club members use WIN block time as an opportunity to teach the freshman class more about how others should be treated in a school and outside a school community.
The senior members of WAVE take a lot of charge, and show a lot of leadership during the facilitations with students, and the prep with their group members. As the last facilitation of their time at Norwood High gets closer, the seniors begin to reflect on their time in a club that is a major part of their academic lives.
WAVE is a club that is meant to teach the younger generations, while also teaching the mentors a thing or two as well.
“Genuinely, my public speaking skills have improved significantly. I also find a real sense of fulfillment in teaching freshmen to be kind, be good people, and understand how to carry themselves in the school environment and beyond. I enjoy meeting new people and being part of the WAVE community, where we all share the common goal of teaching others to lead with kindness,” shared senior Yash Shah.
Shah has been one of the many dedicated seniors in the club, with his senior year marking his third year as a participant.
A large portion of the seniors have been a part of WAVE since their sophomore year, and some joined this year.
Over the year, the club covers heavy topics, such as learning about identities, -isms, and different types of bias and microaggressions. These topics cover the aspects of life that most people go through every day.
WAVE focuses on making sure that students are aware of these issues, and hopes that underclassmen will learn how to prevent these things from happening in their community.
“I hope WAVE made them more conscious of the people around them and, most importantly, be kind,” senior Anika Nina Isabelle Mabano said.
For the seniors, the most important part of the club is the message that they are sending to the freshmen. Every year, seniors leave the school, with it being hopefully more inclusive and kind than before.
As the seniors leave, though, it is important to influence people into stepping up in the future. WAVE is built from the sophomore class and up, so it is important to gain new members after the final facilitation.
WAVE is a win-win situation for students; they learn more about their community while also teaching others. The club views it as the more people that join, the more hope for a better community at Norwood High.
“WAVE puts you in the uncomfortable situation of talking about topics that are not easy to talk about, and this is what’s so good about it! We need to be in uncomfortable situations so we learn and become better, and this is a great reason to join WAVE,” Mabano shared.
For high school students, social things can either be a student’s greatest power or their greatest weakness. WAVE allows students to thrive in an environment for those who enjoy the presentational aspect, and can also be a learning experience for those who aren’t yet fully comfortable with what WAVE entails.
