At Lane Tech, Women’s History Month is more than just a celebration of the past, it’s a reflection of the present. Across the school student-led clubs are creating spaces where girls can connect, lead, and make an impact in their community. Through service, advocacy, and shared experiences, these groups highlight the importance of women’s voices both inside and outside of the classroom.
Ireland Costello, co-president of Girls for Change, described her club as a space built on connection in action. “We essentially wanted to make a club that would help younger students and girls from different grades connect with each other and get them involved in volunteering opportunities,” Costello said. The club focuses not only on community service, but on also raising awareness about issues affecting women. Costello emphasized that leadership opportunities for girls are crucial, and said female role models are particularly important. She added that Women’s History Month helps bring attention to important topics: “There are a lot of issues that we’re not aware of and things that we can bring to light during this month.” The Girls for Change club recently visited the Claims litigation management center for a seminar on women in the workplace and time/work management.
Other clubs at Lane are also working to create safe and supportive environments. Lyra Calik, Vera Rosenberg, and Nula Fitzpatrick helped start the SISTA club, focused on improving everyday experiences for girls at school. According to Calik, the goal is “to help women in Lane feel more comfortable,” especially when facing issues like “jokes at the expense of women or lack of access to necessary resources.” Rosenberg said that they “wanted to create a community of girls where girls at Lane feel safe and can make positive change.”
Calik also highlighted how male-dominated spaces can make it harder for girls to lead. “A lot of the spaces at Lane are male dominated so it’s hard for women to have a more powerful lead,” Calik said. SISTA Club works to counter that by “giving girls a place to take charge and show that they are women who can make Lane the best it can be.”
Fitzpatrick connected this work directly to Women’s History Month. “It’s a really important time to celebrate what we’ve overcome as women, especially in a school that used to be an all boys school,” Fitzpatrick said.
In STEM, Adya Bhushan, founder of the Society of Women Engineers, created her club after experiencing similar challenges. “[Other engineering clubs] were mostly filled with guys and it was hard to find a voice,” Bhushan said. “So I wanted to create a space where girls are free to do engineering and their ideas can be used.” Bhushan emphasized that women’s perspectives are essential: “adding that perspective can create a lot of new ideas.”
For Abby Crews-Anderson, her club combines discussion and service to address issues related to feminism. Crews-Anderson said the club was “inspired by the worsening political climate and aims to support both women and the broader student body.” Crews-Anderson also stressed the importance of inclusivity during Women’s History Month, explaining that “It’s important to include trans women and women of color in these celebrations.”
Across all of these groups, there is one shared belief that stands out: learning about women’s contributions to history is essential. “[This history] helps students envision themselves in these roles,” Costello said. “[This history] shows how women have been persevering and innovative even when faced with challenges,” Crews-Anderson said. Women’s achievements are often overlooked, according to Calik, and contributions are overshadowed, despite the work women put in.
Despite their impact, many student leaders face challenges in being taken seriously. Costello admitted that “Some people would not take the club seriously,” especially when they hear the word “feminist.” Crews-Anderson pointed out that online stereotypes about feminism can influence how people view her club: “This bleeds into people’s perception which has been an obstacle to membership and outreach efforts.” Calik also described moments when others dismissed their club, recalling how some students had said “No way I’d join that club; it’s all about girls,” even though their mission is inclusive.
Even facing all of these challenges, these student leaders remain motivated. Many draw inspiration from women in their own lives, especially their mothers. Vera Rosenberg shared, “[My mom is] a lawyer, and she was telling me about how it was so hard for her to get any respect as a female lawyer. And now she’s on the executive committee of her firm, and it just shows how far it can get if you really persevere.”
