On Dec. 4, ASB hosted a Potato Party; an opportunity for ASB Director Shannon Hurtado’s students to give back to AGHS’s staff.
Students were in charge of setting up food that was prepared by culinary students on campus. To accompany the potatoes, staff members were provided with a variety of toppings and sides. The food was arranged in a bar-style, designed for staff to walk alongside the table and build their potato to their liking. The food was provided to the staff for free as a thank-you for the work they do for students and AGHS as a whole.
“Twice a year we do a Potato Party; it’s for all the staff,” Hurtado said. “[The] culinary [class students are] generous enough to bake the potatoes and prep the salad and the onions and then Mr. Hurtado and I go out and buy everything else.”
Since AGHS is such a large campus, there are two different rooms that host the Potato Party. One is in the quad and the other is in the 900’s. There were also students whose designated job was to make deliveries to the teachers who are unable to attend the party.
“Being a leadership teacher is about making moments matter for our students and staff. I, as well as our leadership kids, really enjoy being a part of making the school feel happier,” Hurtado said.
The first Potato Party of the year is hosted around fall finals week, and another is hosted during teacher appreciation week.
“We do this right before finals because it’s stressful as a teacher or staff member,” Hurtado said.
This year was the first time Rachel Kubilus was able to attend the party, but in previous years she’d benefited from the student-delivery potato service .
“I think that it’s really fun and really sweet and I do feel really appreciated by ASB when they [host the Potato Party],” said Kubilus. “The Potato Party is the best part of the year, every single time.”
ASB hosts other events throughout the school year to credit the staff for their hard work, but the Potato Party is a fan-favorite.
