Ever seen a flash of maroon in the hallways? Or perhaps a lapel decorated with colorful pins? Well, if you are currently a junior, then those blazer-wearing students are looking for YOU to join them! This month, Senior Men & Women (SMW) is kicking off its annual recruitment season for next year’s SMW members. But first, what exactly is SMW?

In simple terms, SMW is a volunteering organization. However, “unlike other on-campus volunteer clubs like ‘Inter-Key-Leo,’ SMW is unique in that it is a group made up of 25 senior girls and 25 senior boys, hand-selected by the prior year’s SMW members and faculty advisers,” explained Men’s President senior Alvin Tran. Additionally, SMW is unique in that its members work at a “huge variety of events,” assisting not only “with Arcadia High School, big district-wide events, and elementary and middle schools, but also beyond the school district for entities such as Arcadia Methodist Hospital and Pasadena Ronald McDonald House,” elaborated adviser Mrs. Wilkins, “Ultimately, we try to do whatever is asked of us so that people have the support and energy they need to make their event a success.”

So what kind of person would make a great SMW member? The easy answer is anyone with a heart for community service. But being an SMW adviser for almost 20 years, Mrs. Wilkins has picked up on the common traits SMW members tend to share. “SMW should be individuals who, no matter what the situation or task, have a ‘How can I help?’ attitude. They should naturally take initiative and whether or not they are wearing an SMW uniform, they should set an example of dedication to citizenship, service, scholarship, and integrity.”

Though each SMW member is uniquely different, many initially try out because they felt they “needed something more to do and representing [their] school while helping [their] community didn’t sound too bad,” shared senior Armand Minasian. But upon joining SMW, they found a new family to spend “fun-filled times” with, “truly doing something important not only to me but to those around me,” he concluded.

However, one thing that all SMW members can agree on is the value of gaining a whole new family in SMW. And indeed, there are many opportunities for SMW members to bond; after being announced at the annual reveal ceremony in April, new SMW members hit the ground running with volunteer events, working at events almost every week and even ones over summer and winter break to reach a total of 45-60 events throughout the school year.

However, it’s important to note that SMW isn’t always about working at high-scale charity galas or reading to children. “The best piece of advice I could give to next year’s generation of SMW members would be for them to take pride and celebrate the little things,” muses senior Armand. “Being on SMW doesn’t always mean going to fancy places and doing fancy things. Sometimes we pick up trash, but we take pride in picking it up because that’s who we are.” “With things like Charity Ball or the Blood Drive, you derive that sense of ‘Wow, I really helped with something that’s way bigger than myself,” agreed Matthew Kock Quinones, who holds this year’s record for attending the most events, “but I get that same feeling whether I’m helping Arcadia Methodist raise thousands of dollars to fund life-saving equipment or just simply selling Cup-of-Noodle behind a concessions stand for sixteen hours. Whether you’re making life easier for one person or hundreds of people, you feel the same sense of accomplishment.”

If you are interested in joining SMW, make sure to mark your calendars for Monday, March 25, from 7-9 p.m., to attend the mandatory recruitment meeting in the PAC. See you there, juniors!

Photo courtesy of SMW