By Michael Kirchner and Acacia Wilson

AHS students are signing up for the Spanish Club with a new teacher at AHS in charge.

Sr. Vargason, a 2011 UNI graduate, is taking on the responsibility of supervising the Spanish Club. He will be assisted by Sra. Hannigan. Vargason hopes the club will help students improve their conversational Spanish. At this time 30-35 students have signed up.

Approximately 20-25 students attended the club’s first meeting on Friday, Oct. 26.  They watched “Elf” in Spanish with English subtitles. The local Mexican restaurant La Herradura donated chips, cheese and salsa for 40 people.  Depending on what the club is doing, the meetings will be in either Sr. Vargason’s room, the AHS commons.

The club is planning on taking a trip in summer 2014. Some possibilities under consideration are Costa Rica, Chile, and Nicaragua. Vargason says he feels the trip will be “very interesting and a great opportunity to communicate with native speakers.”

Freshman Maddison Helvie said she has thought about joining the club. She hopes her study of Spanish will help her in college.

Freshman Nathan Riesberg is looking forward to going on the international trip. He said Spanish class this year has been “fun and inspirational.”

Freshman Ben Barnes says he is looking forward to “learning Spanish for the classroom,” and says he plans to use his study of Spanish to talk to native speakers, and for the credit.

Junior Savannah Whetstone is in her third year of Spanish. She said, “I was looking forward to the trip but I realized that I wouldn’t have the finances.” Vargason says they may try to do some type of fundraising for the international trip at the county fair, but he’s not sure.

Vargason said the requirements to join the club are minimal, “Anyone who is interested.” Students who wish to sign up for Spanish club are to talk to Sr. Vargason or Sra. Hannigan. Also, the club does not yet have a name and suggestions are being accepted.

The agenda for the next meeting has not been determined. Vargason said he hopes they’ll talk more about what the club will be doing. The meeting will be sometime in a week or week and a half.