You may have noticed or heard about the 8th-grade tours that occurred this winter around State High. Well, the Little Lions Ambassador Club organized that event, along with many other events. 

Sophomore Nate Brown, a member of the club, describes it as “a club that helps build a supportive, encouraging, welcoming environment that helps build up the school.”

Students aren’t the only ones in the club; guidance counselors are also involved. The counselors organize the monthly meetings for the club to plan upcoming events and discuss any issues that may be happening. The sessions are held from 8 to 8:30a.m., fitting into many students’ busy schedules. 

“We hold monthly meetings to build community here at State High and our sole purpose is to help students feel comfortable and acclimated to State High culture and community and they are the face of the school,” counselor Maddie Titus said.

Besides the tours, the organization has helped with the 9th grade kickoff, student orientation, and collaborations with PBIS and Penn State Lion Ambassadors. Some Little Lions Ambassadors club members helped with the Mental Health Summit for the counselor’s table. 

The organization gives new kids a chance to see a familiar face in a school of this size,

“It gives kids a familiar face because they might be some of the first students that our new students are meeting, they also are very helpful if a student seems lost asking if they need help getting to class,” Titus said.

Being a part of this organization gives students a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the school and make new friends. Brown shared why he joined the organization.

“At first I thought it would be cool to get more involved in the school because I wasn’t in a lot of clubs and when I looked into it it looked awesome so I decided to sign up for it,” Brown said.

Titus shared her thoughts on how she sees the club moving forward. “We’ve been asked to help with fall fest, the partnership with Penn State, trying to get students to Penn State to see what the Penn State tours look like to model what it could be like here. We’re also trying to get them more involved with our therapy dog Lily so students may feel more comfortable asking for the dog instead of asking a counselor.” 

The club could see a lot of progress in helping students in and outside the school. You can always ask one of the members if you need help with something or feel lost, which can get pretty easy in a school as big as this one.

As the club helps students feel connected with the school, its members also feel more connected to the community through working with students in different grade levels towards a common goal. 

If you have any questions or are interested in joining the club, reach out to your counselor for more information.