Cedar Park High School’s Spanish club, led by senior Andy Bouchot, junior Ben Baldazo and junior Amanda Wu, is well under way in preparing for the annual PASF meet in San Antonio held March 22-23.
PASF is a national youth organization that was founded in 1927. Texas joined the organization in 1943. The purpose of PASF, or the Pan American Student Forum, is to offer students and teachers a better opportunity to learn more about all the Americas and the Spanish speaking world, in the hopes of bringing everyone closer together.
The objectives of PASF are very similar to those of our very own high school; they both encourage a hate free environment as well as respect for all nationalities and an understanding of them based on a more thorough knowledge and appreciation of the peoples of the Western Hemisphere.
“I really look forward to the Forum each year, it’s a lot of fun, and I always learn something new and make friends,” junior Bed Baldazo said.
Each year the PASF has a theme for the forum that each student in attendance learns about through through reading assignments, special projects, guest speakers or audio-visual presentations. This year’s theme is “Al estilo mexicano” which means “Mexican style.”
Forums each year consist of workshops which bring a fun, as well as educational addition to the Convention. Schools in attendance are encouraged to present workshops that reflect not only the current PASF theme, but all countries of the Western Hemisphere. Some things you might find in a workshop are Bark painting, Dance workshops: Cumbia, Polka, Salsa, Merengue, Jalisco, Día de los Muertos, Floral headdresses, Flower making, Molas, Ojos de Dios, Peace bracelets, Piñatas, and Rain sticks.
“I’m definitely excited to see all of the activities this year that will be tied into the “Al estilo mexicano” theme, I always look forward to this event and I know the CP Spanish Club will represent our school well,” senior Andy Bouchot said.