Immaculata-La Salle is home to countless traditions that have been celebrated for years. From Don Bosco Day, to the Royal Art Walk, to Freshman-Senior day, every tradition has a beginning. This school year marked the commencement of a new Welcome Week, an event pioneered by senior Ignacio Gamero and carried out by the ILS SGA. The pandemic took a massive toll on students’ energy, sucking the spirit out of the student body. Thus, this week was created in the pursuit of rejuvenating the student body after such a rough school year. 

“During the pandemic, the school lost its magic and the hallways felt quiet and empty,” explained executive president Ignacio Gamero. “When I ran my presidential campaign, I ran on the promise of a welcome week at the start of the year to welcome all of the students back to campus and reignite the flame that is the Royal Lion Spirit.”

This week served as a way not only to bring back vibrance to the campus but also to show them what ILS is all about. It helps introduce new students to the Salesian oratory model Immaculata-La Salle follows. Thus, when constructing this week, the following factors were taken into account:

• Church
• School
• Home
• Play

What many students don’t know is that Welcome Week was an old tradition that was revamped for this school year.

“The Welcome Week idea was originally Ignacio Gamero’s idea because we were coming off of virtual school,” explained SGA moderator Celina Sosa. “The seniors got together to bring back the idea of a welcome week because it used to be a tradition at ILS.”

Preparations for the new and improved Welcome Week began last school year and were further worked upon during the summer.

“Over the summer I met with the Executive Board multiple times to go over the schedule and plan the week. Once school started we began working. The week before, all SGA members stayed after school making posters and commercials and finding new and exciting ways to increase class unity,” explained Ignacio Gamero.

SGA worked incredibly hard to make the new tropical-themed Welcome Week as jolly as possible for old and new students alike. This included the creation of a unique ILS Snapchat filter, tropical decorations all throughout the school, and various F Block challenges (such as door decorating, lighthouse creating, and shield designing). The more students participated, the more class spirit points they would receive to then be added to the HoCo point system… and that definitely motivated a large population of students to go all out.

Overall, this week was a huge success for everyone involved.  SGA’s hard work paid off and the student body had an amazing week full of fun activities. Notes have already been taken to assure next year is even more successful.

“We want it to be more about unity and expressing what ILS is as a student body, so that will be the focus for next year,” explained Mrs. Sosa. 

Welcome Week proved to be a wonderful way to bring back an old Royal tradition. The timing couldn’t have been better!