In a previous article, I wrote about the up-and-coming Fair Trade Club, which assists the Fair Trade program, made to ensure farmers a fair price when selling their goods on the market. Though one of the smaller clubs that make the backbone of the Quartz Hill High School infrastructure, Fair Trade has grown to include many more students since its founding. However, their numbers are not yet large enough, and in an effort to make a bigger and more successful event, Fair Trade Club teamed up with another small club on campus: Literature Club.

Literature Club is dedicated to books, with the focus being on the many aspects of books. They encompass learning about literature through context or author biography and access to books through book drives. During the first semester, the club’s agenda centered around Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, according to the club’s Co-President Jennifer Peñaloza. Thus, the tea party would fit in with a Mad Hatter-esque theme. With only a few members, Literature Club decided to participate in a joint venture with the Fair Trade Club in the hopes of larger turnout and participation.

The Fair Trade – Lit Club Tea Party provided an opportunity for members of both clubs to exhibit their passions. The library served as the location for the event, as the proximity to both books and a projector would support Literature Club’s values and the movie showing. The night’s movie snacks were supplied by Fair Trade Club.

A group of members had gotten together the Wednesday before the event and frosted strawberries, baked warm cookies, and collected herbal tea – all from Fair Trade-sourced ingredients. Present at the movie night was also a Keurig, donated by Fair Trade president Mariah Hernandez and perfect for making hot tea or other drinks. A small stack of donated books sat atop one table, as all attendees were asked to bring a book to donate. Once the familiar Disney logo appeared on the screen, all participants finally relaxed.

Despite the calm atmosphere of the event, the days preceding the date were nothing but stress and snafus. Originally, the movie night was scheduled for Friday, February 8th, but administration pushed back the date at the last minute to February the 15th. Next, the movie was not compatible with the DVD player in the library, causing a delay of an hour. As time crept on, members began to make their way towards the exit only to be thwarted by the barrage of rain that poured down that night. Though the weather outside was not permitting, inside the library was comfortable and cozy. Trays of freshly-baked cookies and steaming teas allowed attendees to cuddle up on couches while the animated feature Frozen blasted from the projector screen. Overall, in spite of the many obstacles, the small event was a big success in the eyes of its creators.