By Sofia Williams
Editor-in-Chief
Costa’s administration, Associated Student Body (ASB) and Link Crew hosted the Mustangs’
second annual Assembly Day on Aug. 31 to promote campus unity through a rotation of four
assemblies.
During the Suicide Awareness Assembly, author and activist John Halligan gave a presentation
in the Pavilion Gym about his son, who committed suicide in 2003 at 13 years old. The
presentation centered on the effects of bullying on young people, aiming to inspire students to
take action against bullies.
“I hope that [after the presentation], everyone understands how much they’re loved by their
parents and the importance of standing up for each other,” said Halligan. “I think the biggest
impact that could happen is that kids start to look out for each other, and that when a friend is
doing something harmful to somebody else, they have the courage to say something.”
Students also attended an outdoor assembly held at Waller Stadium, which included games like
cornhole and spikeball. The field day event featured several booths set up around the track,
offering snacks and water, temporary tattoos, green and gold necklaces, information about
Costa’s various on-campus clubs and a raffle for Costa spirit gear. Additionally, students could
take photos with Melvin the Mustang, Costa’s mascot, and earn game prizes from Beach Cities
Health District.
“ASB and Link Crew worked together to help lead the assemblies, set and clean them up, and
train to prepare for the diversity and inclusion discussion,” said ASB member Emma Darrow.
“We also were in charge of different stations at the field day, and I spoke at the beginning and
end of the assembly.”
The Diversity and Inclusion Assembly was hosted in the Main Gym. Students were placed into
groups of 10-20 to have discussions led by ASB members and Link leaders to discuss
inclusivity on campus. The assembly, which was co-emceed by senior Hailey Fisher and junior
Eva Asiddao, also featured videos of Costa students discussing their experiences with issues of
discrimination on campus.
“I believe teaching Costa students about inclusion and the importance of accepting each other’s
differences is super important for creating a safe and positive environment on campus,” said
Fisher. “With ongoing hate in the world and at Costa, many students feel isolated and scared for
their safety. Teaching students the importance of learning from each other’s differences will
hopefully help work toward alleviating discrimination and emphasizing acceptance on campus.”
The Sexual Assault Awareness Assembly, which took place in the auditorium, was a
presentation by SafeBAE representatives. SafeBAE, a sexual violence prevention organization, aims to educate teens about sexual harassment and assault. The presentation centered around
themes of consent, providing suggestions to help teens remain safe in situations of sexual
assault or harassment.
“Each assembly aimed to teach students something different, but overall, I hope students
developed additional awareness of and empathy for the experiences of others,” said Link Crew
advisor Elizabeth Hutchinson. “I recognize that a lot of the topics covered that day are difficult,
but facing tough conversations head on is incredibly valuable.”
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