WHHS has been known for its amazing diversity and talented students for many years, but this year, students took celebrating that diversity and talent to a whole new level. On Mar. 23, WHHS held its annual Black Culture Club talent show and the first Culture Fest. WHHS clubs, representing different cultures, set up booths where they could sell goods and educate people on their cultures.

The Black Culture Club Talent Show invited all students to showcase their talents foran audience in the WHHS auditorium. Students sang, danced, rapped and more.

Among the student performers was Ella Vaughn, ‘23. Vaughn sang “Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin as a solo and “Take me to Church” by Hozier as a duet. Vaughn previously performed in the talent show when she was in seventh and eighth grade and was thrilled to participate again this year.

“I think it was really good to see that representation in arts because you don’t see that often,” Vaughn said.

Many students were excited to see this display of representation once again after the talent show was shut down for two years due to the pandemic. 

“I would say that [the talent show] was a lot smaller… I felt like it was easier for the audience to digest,” Vaughn said.

Along with the talent show was a new event, the Culture Fest.

“I feel like this new culture fest is a great way to show off all of the different clubs that are representing culture,” Macy Brown, ‘24, a co-leader of Asian Media Club said. 

In the past, WHHS students have celebrated culture separately among clubs with events like Woke Fest, held by Black Culture Club. However, this is the first time students have come together as a community to celebrate. 

“Being able to see faces that look like you, have the same background as you, even though you might have little nitpicks here and there, is really important,” SENIOR Ximen Morgan said.

Many students share the same view as Morgan when it comes to clubs at WHHS and younger students looking to join the community. 

“Especially when you’re young, it’s good to be surrounded by a diverse environment,” Kate Sampson, ‘24, said.

Because seventh and eighth graders come from a variety of elementary schools that tend to be smaller and less diverse communities, coming to WHHS can be quite the culture shock for many students. 

“[Being an incoming seventh grader] can be kind of scary, but it’s probably more diverse than most elementary schools…it really gives students who are of different races…just a space to…relate to other people and connect with other people that are similar to them,” Brown said.