As a young Filipino American in Herndon, surrounded mostly by white and Hispanic classmates, Clarissa Dantes says she has struggled with her identity. Often, she did not feel fully accepted even among other Asian Americans because she does not speak her mother tongue, Tagalog, has never visited her homeland, and possesses only a limited knowledge of its culture.
This motivated Clarissa to join with a friend, Sidney Ide, and establish the Asian American Club at Herndon High to assist other students feeling alone and disconnected from their heritage. Clarissa describes the club as a place for students who in her words “do not know what club to join, who to talk to, or even who to relate to … No matter where you come from or what you know, our club is a place for discovery, acceptance, and appreciation.”
No such organization had previously existed at the school. Working with a faculty advisor, Clarissa and Sidney - a student of mixed Taiwanese and white heritage - founded the club in the fall of 2022, when they were sophomores. As co-leaders, they spread the word through informal discussions with other students and via posters, flyers, Instagram, and other social media. About a dozen students, primarily but not entirely Asian Americans, expressed significant interest and became regular attendees at monthly meetings.
The meetings vary considerably from month to month – with activities including food and movies from Asian countries, trivia and board games, crafts such as origami, presentations on various topics, and the addition of an Asian slant to traditional American events, for example, telling scary Asian stories at Halloween. Clarissa says they plan activities that are enjoyable and often educational. For most of the students, however, learning more about Asian cultures is a secondary objective. The club’s main goal is to provide opportunities for bonding, acceptance, and mutual support among Asian American students. As Clarissa’s school counselor writes, the club’s activities are designed to “promote, awareness, education and acceptance … (It) has created a safe space where students can feel included and have positive, candid, and constructive conversations.”
When the club began in the fall of 2022, ten to fifteen students regularly attended meetings and actively participated. High attendance continued as the year progressed. The following year participation declined as seniors graduated and were not replaced by as many new freshmen. By the fall of 2024, attendance stabilized with about seven or eight students attending most meetings.
Most of the club’s original members will graduate by the end of this year. Together with her co-leader, one of Clarissa’s current goals is to help new leaders prepare for the future. She also looks forward to participating in similar activities at whatever college or university she attends next year.