The Self Cultivation club, created by junior Isha Lallsa, strives to help stressed students ¨conquer from within¨ through weekly meetings featuring motivational speeches and inspirational social media posts.

The club, which began in the 2017-18 school year, aims to provide both visitors and members with a unique and refreshing outlook on life. Meetings focus on strategies to lift students’ mindsets which can be applied during low points throughout their day and brighten their spirits, Lallsa said.

While leading the club, Lallsa focuses on meditation, mindfulness and self-improvement. These activities allow students to relate to their surroundings in a positive manner.

“You learn how to formulate positive energy,” junior member Redeat Sileshi said. “[Lallsa] creates an open environment for all people of different levels, which is so important for a leader.”

Lallsa’s initial inspiration to create the Self Cultivation club came when entering the beauty pageant circuit and realizing that in her opinion, it was sending the wrong messages and not encouraging positivity and simply put, was not for her.

The club gave Lallsa the opportunity to spread awareness about techniques that her peers could use to better themselves through reducing pressure and stress levels.

“It makes my heart so full to hear that I was able to turn someone’s day around, or that I was able to shift someone’s perspective or even motivate someone to pursue their goal,” Lallsa said.

Visiting one of Lallsa’s club meetings, it is clear she holds herself with great confidence. With plenty of research being done before every meeting, Lallsa creates powerpoint presentations to go along with her talking points every week.

Lallsa hosted a heavily-advertised assembly Jan. 18 in the auditorium during lunch, serving as a way to gain new members and spread her beliefs about self cultivation along with what the club entails.
Most meetings take place in ceramics teacher and club sponsor Michael Sandstrom’s class. He has known Lallsa since she was a freshman and has enjoyed every moment of getting to know her along with listening in on her meetings in his classroom every week, he said.

“It’s nice to have a positive force reminding us of the big picture and to focus on the things that we have control over,” Sandstrom said.