When someone says EOPS, many think of counselors’ offices and a stuffy professional atmosphere; until recently that would be true, but now Cerritos College has the EOPS Club. The EOPS Club is separate from the EOPS program and has a different atmosphere and a completely different approach to helping students.
After two years on Feb. 10, the EOPS Club once again opened its doors thanks to two best friends Cely Anaya, business administration major and Justin Raya, fashion major, have been best friends since the sixth grade. Anaya is now the club’s president and Raya is the club’s vice-president.
Commissioner of the Inter-Club Council Sulyema Castillo encouraged and helped in the club’s formation. She said, “They were so motivated to become more involved. I am so proud of them.”
President Cely Anaya and Vice-president Justin Raya Both share the view that the club should be a fun place where you can meet other students. Anaya describes the club as “basically a social networking group, to get together be more social with more people, we also do fundraising and volunteer work.”
At the last meeting the EOPS Club had 14 members.Anaya and Raya encourage other students to join, Raya said, “It’s cool to get more involved in school activities,” Anaya said “(Joining the club) looks good on your college transcript.”
She added,“We tell everyone who wants to join that they do not have to be a part of the EOPS Program to participate.”
The EOPS Club is different than the EOPS program Anaya said, “We do not give what the EOPS Program does. We are there to help each other more.” The club offers advice on where to go to get help. Another way that the club is different than the program is that the club is focusing in two areas, volunteer work and scholarships.
For volunteer work Anaya said their club is discussing the possibility of going to Downtown Los Angeles to feed the homeless. “As a club every time we meet we will be discussing what events we would like to volunteer too,” she said.
The next big club activity will be on March 24. The club plans to have a bake sale in front of the EOPS office.
The proceeds of will go into a scholarship fund exclusively for the EOPS Club members.
The club meets every second and third Tuesday of the month in the EOPS office conference room.
