Student-athletes are often recognized for their athletic skills, but many also use their powerful voices beyond the field, sidelines or court. Many are involved in one of WHHS’s countless clubs, fostering crucial leadership skills for these young activists.
Dalia Lopez, ‘27, is one such student athlete. Lopez has played field hockey for WHHS for three years and is involved in three clubs: Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), Humanity Helpers, which she started and Student Congress (StuCo).
“They’ve really made me become a leader, especially [since] starting [a club] because I feel like it gives me more experience with managing people and managing something at the same time,” Lopez said.
Lopez has had very distinct reasons for joining each club.
“I founded Humanity Helpers because I want to help people in impoverished communities, and then I joined LLS in honor of someone that passed away from leukemia,” Lopez said. “I joined the student council just to get better experience in government.”
Through her work with StuCo, Lopez has helped host multiple meetings, fundraisers and school dances. She has plans to pursue a degree in political science.
“[Through] student government I feel like I’ve become more of a leader in helping people to better our school and make an effort,” Lopez said.
Similarly, Savannah Hayes-Bogle, ‘25, who has been playing basketball since seventh grade, is also committed to activism through extracurricular activities. She joined Girls to Women her freshman year, a club focused on empowering young women.
“Friends being associated with the clubs really drew me in, and the environments are really engaging in community-building type environments,” Hayes-Bogle said.
Girls to Women’s main purpose is to shape young women into agents of change. The club aims to do acts of service in the community, along with community engagement events.
“Girls to Women shaped me into becoming a leader through our community involvement activities,” Hayes-Bogle said. “Being around like-minded girls who want to be leaders and agents of change has inspired me to be a leader in communities. I’m a part of the future.”
Currently, the club is working on a capstone project to raise awareness about domestic violence. They also hold toy drives and fundraisers to donate to shelters.
“Girls to Women shows young girls that they can be the leaders that they look up to,” Hayes-Bogle said.
Layla Musgrave, ‘26, a cheerleader since seventh grade, shows another example of student-athletes participating in activism. She has been a member of Black Culture Club for one year now, joining because she was eager to engage in discussions about Black culture.
“It helped me learn about Black culture and connect to other students in Walnut, and helped us connect since we [are] a minority in the school,” Musgrave said.
Musgrave believes the club plays a key role in making the school more welcoming.
“This club makes WHHS more of an inclusive place and shows that there’s a place for everybody,” Musgrave said.
Hayes-Bogle, Musgrave and Lopez all exemplify how student-athletes at WHHS are leading the charge in strengthening their communities.
“I hope [my clubs] create a better space for everybody here, but not only just here but [also] in a more broad perspective,” Lopez said. “I hope that people feel inspired to get involved in helping others.”