This year, Middleton High School (MHS) welcomes one of its newest clubs to the building, its very own Slavic Student Union! Like other student unions at MHS, Slavic Student Union (SSU) aims to bring curious students together and introduce them to the endlessly intriguing variety of cultures and traditions that exist across our planet.
SSU offers a welcoming community for students who may already be well-acquainted with Slavic culture at home, but students need not be of Slavic descent to attend.
At meetings, SSU covers the history and cultural significance of Eastern European traditions, and educates students about issues that are relevant to the Slavic community. By introducing club members to important elements of Slavic culture – including language, food, history, media, and more — SSU aims to promote understanding and knowledge of the diversity of Slavic traditions.
Meeting attendees can expect varied, authentic cultural food, as well as a presentation about a topic relevant to Slavic culture. For example, SSU’s second meeting covered the extensive history of Europe and its relation to Slavic cultural heritage. Club leaders will also run activities such as Kahoot games or arts and crafts projects to let members immerse themselves in Slavic art and design.
Club co-founder and president Sofia Ortiz-Lunyova had high hopes when founding SSU. She acknowledged a need for public knowledge of Slavic culture, especially in the context of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
“[Slavic culture] has affected me my entire life, and I want to spread awareness about how diverse it is,” said Ortiz-Lunyova. One of the motivating factors for Ortiz-Lunyova to create SSU was the recent war in Ukraine. Though the conflict has put a spotlight on the region, global attention to the region can potentially create misinformation about Slavic identity.
“At the end of the day, I just want to educate people and avoid bias,” she said. “I have a lot of knowledge about Slavic culture to share… I essentially get to nerd out about my interests, and educate people about important topics that are affecting our world today.”
As Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, staying informed is necessary to be a responsible global citizen. By giving members a deeper understanding of Slavic culture, SSU allows students to learn more about the world they live in. Additionally, direct cultural exchange and education allows students to be part of a bigger cultural community, and gives them a place to feel at home inside the walls of MHS.
Club co-founder Hania Silbert notes that Slavic culture gives her a comfortable space of her own, and that she hopes to give new members the same home that she has at SSU.
“For me, being Slavic means embracing my heritage and my family’s history,” Silbert said. “Whenever I talk or learn or teach people about Poland, I feel like I’m part of a community, built on foundations of rich history and diversity that I can contribute to.”
Silbert takes pride in being Slavic because of her rich family history.
“Slavic culture makes me feel like a part of something, makes me feel important, empowered,” she said. “I’m the proud daughter of a Polish citizen, and extremely grateful for my heritage. My main hope for SSU is to give other people a place to feel comfortable with who they are.”
SSU aims to give students of any background a glimpse into the diversity, tenacity, and varied experiences of Slavic peoples across history. By creating an open, engaging community, the SSU founders hope to construct a welcoming place for students of all backgrounds to engage in learning about Slavic culture.
“Being Ukrainian, and by extension Slavic, is a large part of my identity, and I’m proud to be Slavic… I want people to be as proud of their heritage as I am. Being able to teach about it is a wonderful thing,” said Ortiz-Lunyova. “[Slavic culture] is immensely beautiful and essential to the human understanding.”
SSU offers a quiet and relaxed place to learn more about diverse Slavic culture; it is held once a month in Anne Vander Zee’s ASR 2 (Room 2152). Students who are interested in attending can find meeting times on the MHS daily announcements, or by emailing club advisor Anne Vander Zee at [email protected]. Members can expect a friendly environment with fun activities and unique cultural exposure. Be sure to attend if interested!
