Stopping Hate throughout the Greenhouse & beyond

In addition to the beginning of the 2024-25 school year has come the birth of a new club at Aurora High School. Stop the Hate is a club that I started, along with the help of Language Arts teacher, Ms. Hilston, to promote inclusivity, limit discrimination towards individuals, and stress the importance of being an upstander.

I had become inspired to create a club like this after taking Ms. Hilston’s AP language class where we took time to learn about upstanding citizens and stop the hate. This unit included two field trips; the first one was to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood, where we truly got to gain a new perspective and level of understanding of Jewish culture. I thought this field trip was so effective and appropriate for us to take, especially with the devastating amount of antisemitism taking place nationwide. The second field trip we took was towards the end of last year to the Cleveland City Club which is located downtown in Playhouse Square. This field trip included meeting new students from other schools, mainly from schools located in more urban areas, unfortunately, where more violence and hatred takes place. The banquet ended with a symposium given by three women who were all involved in various anti-gun violence programs. Both field trips inspired and invoked spirit in me that we need something at Aurora that can provide a safe space for students; hence the development of the Stop the Hate Club.

Ms. Hilston agrees that a club like this is vital for Aurora High School.“It’s so important to have a club that supports our diverse student body. Even if it can be a safe space for one person, a club like this can be that one group this individual needs,” she noted.

The first meeting of Stop the Hate Club took place on Tuesday, September 10 in the media center. A wonderful group of students came willing and ready to make a difference. During the meeting, we discussed topics for suicide prevention month, and to conclude the meeting, we all made posters that contained positive messages to spread around the school.

Ms. Hilston and I have big plans for the club this year. The field trips that I described are hopefully going to take place again; however, this time it will be the club she takes rather than her classes. In addition to possible trips, I have a lot of ideas for potential guest speakers and various activities we can do around the school.

All in all, I am excited to be able to lead a club of this purpose and develop new relationships with our club members. My hope is that after I graduate, the club will continue to have a positive impact on students at AHS.

The club meets monthly, so look for an announcement in October. If you are interested, come to one meeting and see our amazing group of students and the passion we have for creating a better greenhouse environment!