After looking at the recent 2015-2016 yearbook,  most students will brush the unintentional irony with a laugh.. However, what about the overlooked portion of students who do not find this type of humor funny? Minority students are affected by the lack of diversity at this school. While of course that wasn’t the intended message for the yearbook, and it was an obvious misunderstanding, these students are able to see past this because they are proof that those jokes are not true

CAFE, which stands for Cultural Awareness For Everyone, is a new club currently being formed by a few teachers and student leaders.

Terri Helfers, a paraprofessional at GHS and one of the club’s leaders, was able to give some insight about the new club’s mission this upcoming year. “The goal of having students that are not the typical Geneva student, as in not athletic, white, and rich,” she explained. “We want them to feel as though they have a voice and that they are heard.”

When asked about the new club’s stance on allowing non-minority students to be able to join, Mrs. Helfers explained, “We want them to come too, and to understand what it’s like to not be a part of that [athletic, white, or rich] group.”

CAFE is an important club not only for the minority students of our school, but also for the non-minority students. Mrs. Helfers stressed CAFE as being an important club, and as a place for students to just feel comfortable.

Students have already volunteered to be student leaders of CAFE, and a few minority students are eager to join once it is up and running.

“It would be cool to get familiar with more minorities that go to Geneva and be able to support one another,” senior Cali Stephenson said. “Plus it might help minorities from other schools who are transferring to Geneva.”

“I’ve always gone to Geneva so I’m kind of used to it by now but people still point out my race and I do feel like I stand out from the crowd for it,” she said when asked how she feels about the lack of diversity in Geneva.

CAFE is also aiming to draw the attention of all Geneva students. Many non-minority students also feel bothered by the lack of diversity at our school.

Senior Kyla Chenier, a non-minority student, stated, “We all live in the Geneva bubble, and I don’t think we realize how different it is anywhere else,” she said. “People should stay aware about diversity in general.”

When asked if she would attend a CAFE meeting, Kyla responded, “I think I definitely would, I think it would be very interesting and beneficial for everyone.”

  A chart of the 2014 demographics of Geneva High School, presenting the diversity at the school.

CAFE is still in the process of being made, as faculty advisers Mr. Whitman, Mrs. Meeks, and Mrs. Helfers are finding more students to represent the new club. Meeting days and times have yet to be finalized, but they are hoping those decisions will be made soon.

This club is definitely new for Geneva high school; however, most students and faculty agree that it is a necessity.

As Mrs. Helfers said, “We want to improve the overall climate in Geneva, [by] being exposed to all things that are not just typical middle class suburb.”