The student decorates their heart shaped cookies with pink frosting and red, white, blue, and white circular shaped sprinkles, and then the student passes the brightly decorated cookie to the young girl waiting for her turn patiently in line.

Every Thursday a small group of Rio Americano High School students will meet in D4B and enjoy their lunch along with the special education students. “I love meeting new people and getting to talk to everyone during lunch,” said sophomore Tatum White. “Every thursday we do something new and really fun”.

Each week the students play different activities. Some of those activities include: decorating cookies, playing charades, playing hangman on the board, or just eating lunch and talking to each other.

No matter what the activity is all of the students are smiling and laughing.

Sometimes the club members will even sing karaoke with each other. “I love it when we do karaoke,” said sophomore Ashley Knepshield. “Everyone gets so into it and it’s nice to see everyone having a good time”. Depending on if the other club members know the song everyone will join and sing along; it can get very loud.

One special occasion the club leaders put on a fashion show, exclusively to the club members and supervisors. The club leaders would bring red, yellow, and blue scarves, hats that are covered in purple glitter, crazy looking sunglasses, and other fun props like microphones and signs that say small phrases. They played music loudly and people, in groups or individually, would strut down the aisle wearing many different pieces of colorful clothing. This is another activity that results in lots of music, lots of singing, and tons of fun.

The members of the club create strong friendship with one another through conversation and finding out things they have in common through the activities that they play during each club meeting. Whether it be the sports that they play, the music that they listen to, or even there favorite classes. “I love meeting new people and once I heard about Lunch with Friends, I had to join,” said sophomore Alyssa Christopher. “It gives a chance for kids to meet and hang out in a fun way.”

On holidays the club leaders will bring in supplies to color or draw fun holiday themed pictures.

The club has brought lots of joy to its club members over the years and has also touched many people’s hearts.  

The atmosphere of the club is full of happiness and excitement, and each week something new will happen and you will not know what it is until you walk in the door.