The International Students Club is open to any Amherst Regional High School student. This club was formed so that the American and international students at school could get to know each other socially, and could get to know the Amherst area together.

Members must be eligible by Student Handbook rules. New members can join during the school year. You do not have to come to every meeting, but you need to come most of the time to stay a member. (goal: 2/3 of meetings, 1/2 of the club projects or activities)

The purpose of this organization is threefold:

1. To provide a setting in which students of diverse backgrounds and experience can get to know each other and learn something about each others' cultures.
2. To share our various cultures with the school through activities and events.
3. To provide opportunities for outings and field trips in order to introduce international and immigrant students to cultural, recreational and educational resources in the Amherst area and elsewhere.

Meetings are held weekly. Through group process, the Club decides what kinds of activities to plan together. Activities have included teaching each other about our cultural favorite foods, participating in fund-raisers with a multi-cultural theme (for example, international food sales), producing our annual Community Thanksgiving Celebration, and making shorter and longer field trips (for example, Amherst College Museums, Mullins Center Skating Rink). We tend to focus on very sociable activities, as the goal of the club is to create a safe and fun environment in which students can cross some of the boundaries between their various sub-communities.

Our annual Community Thanksgiving Celebration was held on Friday, November 14, 2008, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the High School’s cafeteria. We shared American Thanksgiving traditional foods as well as festive dishes from many backgrounds. Additionally, we enjoyed performances by many groups and individuals in the school.

The Club had a small party in the fall to learn about the festivities of the Eid after Ramadan, and a small party in the winter to learn about the Lunar New Year, celebrated in China, Taiwan, Korea and Viet Nam. Bhutanese, Persian and Cambodian New Years are all coming up, and we hope to learn something about each of them.

Among our fundraisers are selling handmade jewelry and cards, offering Fair Trade chocolates for sale, and participating in the All-School Indoor Tag Sale in January. Watch this space for more details!