Cooper’s tradition of hosting an international week never disappoints – with activities such as a soccer game – and, of course, food from all around the world! As international club’s crowning week begins, board member Maggie Kaw (‘25) gives insight on the process: planning activities, coordinating student involvement, and reflecting on how it turned out.

What went behind the decision to have an Irish band perform in Assembly?

We chose an Irish band because Madame Ronquillo knew someone who could connect us with the two performers. Last year the mariachi band was a hit, so we wanted to do something similar and thought people would enjoy the Irish band music. 

How do you encourage parent volunteers to bring food? Which food item was the most popular?

We are very fortunate that a lot of parents are usually extremely eager to help out, and so for us it’s just a matter of coordinating with teachers and administration and setting up the tables with supplies. We have sign ups online where parents can write what they’d like to bring to the table and there were a lot of volunteers this year as well. I think this year, the elotes were the most popular food item! 

What are some things you’d like to change for next year? What was the set-up process like? 

It is hard to predict the events we’ll be doing for the next year, since during February it’s always very busy on campus. No matter how much we may plan ahead of time, unexpected things always happen. To set up for the week, we try to get as much help as we can from club members as well as other students who are willing, and we try to come to school early every day of the week so that everything runs well. 

How long does the international club spend planning the week? What does that process/discussion look like? 

We plan the week a couple months in advance so we can notify the parents and everyone who helps out with our plans. We have a spreadsheet where we brainstorm ideas and plans, and getting approvals for the events we want can take a while.