By MILES WALSH
the alley newspaper continues our relationship with South High School’s newspaper, The Southerner, this new school year. New Southerner writers are stepping in to fill the shoes of those that graduated in 2025. We reprint this interesting article by Miles Walsh with permission. It was posted on The Southerner website November 11th. Visit the website for more South High news: https://www.shsoutherner.net/. Thank you, Southerner staff, for sharing your talents and your news!
If you’re looking for a new club to join this year, look no further than Beacons which has lots of great options. They give you the opportunity to make new friends who share a common interest with you. Beacons is a way to get involved and have a great time!
Minneapolis was chosen in 1998, after Beacons was created in 1991 in New York. The goal of the program is to “maximize community resources by transforming schools into year-round community centers.” That quote is from the Beacons website which gives you a lot of information about the program. The idea was to make schools into a more social place to build specific skills and be supported while feeling safe. They partner with organizations like YMCA and YWCA, and The Boys and Girls Club to ensure a lasting impact and “their specialized expertise in athletics, leadership development, mentoring, and community connection.”
The Maze is South’s own literary magazine which has been around for about seven years but stopped briefly and brought back recently by Annie Chen, who is in charge of the Beacons program. “We kind of relaunched it. That was 2024. And so we just kind of redid it, and then the kids who did it were so enthused, they wanted to do it again.” Said Chen, talking about the reinstitution of the Maze. “They finished it on the Canva and I cried. I was like, ‘it’s so beautiful.’” They will be working on the magazine all year and it will come out at the end of the year.
Beacons can also be a good way to connect with your culture. After schools like the Muslim Student Association, Raice, Latinos Unidos, and Orgullo Latino can offer a sense of belonging and solidify your sense of self. You can identify with the people and the class itself. “Belonging isn’t a bonus, it’s foundational” is also from the Beacons website stating this as one of the core beliefs of the program. You could also find belonging in the Gender and Sexuality Alliance to affirm your gender and in doing so improve your life.
The most popular club is Theater which gives students a chance to express themselves though the medium of performance which also helps self-confidence and public speaking. “We have such an awesome theater program.” Chen said with viable enthusiasm surrounding the topic. “They all just have such great energy.” That comment was regarding the teachers that lead the class. “They do all sorts of bonding things.”
Chen’s favorite part of her job is aiding the Beacons Leadership Team. It is a student-lead class, but Chen can provide them with opportunities to lead. “We have our student leaders who help out, and then we get to really, get to know them and foster them right now.” One of the opportunities was over MEA break, where two members of the Beacons Leadership Team, or BLT for short, went to a summer camp to be counselors. Chen is excited for the chance to grow this wonderful program. The Beacons program is an enjoyable hangout time, but it’s more than that too, it’s one of the best ways to connect, express yourself, and contribute to your school community around you.
MILES WALSH is a freshman staff writer going into his first year with The Southerner. This year, Walsh hopes to develop his writing skills and meet new peers. The topic he finds most engaging to write about is Arts and Entertainment.
