By Leslie Espinoza and Amie Esteban, Staff Reporters
May, 2022
At KIPP Austin Collegiate, we celebrate the beginning of a new quarter with something called First Thursday, which used to be called First Friday. First Thursday is the end of the quarter celebration. We have all of our classes and then the last 2 hours of school are for clubs and organizations to sell food and snacks to fund money for their members. Students are able to have time away from their academics and show off their school pride. Athletes are able to showcase what they have been working on, announce their future games while updating us on their previous matches, and we feature performances from either band or steel drums students.
KIPP Forward teacher Yajaira Toscano, who organizes First Thursdays, explained the meaning behind the celebration. “The meaning behind First Thursday is to help celebrate the end of a hard quarter and create community within our school,” she said. “Usually we do this by allowing students to enjoy different celebrations.”
Many students enjoyed the afternoon. “It has been so fun,” said 9th-grader Doris Mena-Hernandez. “It’s been a really awesome experience because I’ve met new friends.”
“The food, that’s my favorite part,” she added.
But not all students were as enthusiastic about the change from First Fridays to First Thursdays. Senior Kimberlyn Lopez said, “I don’t know, it’s more fun on a Friday for sure because it’s the day before a weekend, and we get to have a little fun and we celebrate that we finished our quarter. But on Thursday we still have school the next day, so it’s a bummer.”
Senior Sherlyn Loza agreed. “I don’t know but First Friday we were all excited about it but I guess since it’s a second day, it’s not the same. It doesn’t feel the same,” she said.
Sophomore Jerry Rivas added that he preferred celebrations outside, rather than in the gym. “It’s crowded in here,” he explained.
In addition to providing a celebration for students, First Thursday allows clubs and organizations to raise money and gain exposure. When asked how much money her club had made, senior Esmeralda Benitez of the KAC Genders and Sexualities Alliance said, “I’m not sure how much we’ve sold yet but I’m sure we made a lot.”
She also made a pitch to get others to join the GSA, joking, “And well, I’m part of the organization because of course, I got to be a little fruity to be in there. I’m just playing. You don’t have to be fruity to be in GSA. If you want to show some support or if you’re scared we got your back.”
The Cardinal Post 