G.W.A.M.
Griffins With A Mission
Transitioning into high school can be difficult for students, especially the freshmen year. LAHS continues to host our 20+ year program GWAM, Griffins with a Mission, creating an opportunity for inclusiveness, connectivity, and understanding of the range of cultures and personal experiences students bring to our LAHS High School student body.
Each year, junior and senior leadership students, under the direction and mentoring of faculty members, help organize and run our freshmen one-day retreat, GWAM. This day of discussion and reflection builds a sense of community within our student body and emphasizes the importance of empathy and respect in our diverse student population. Students engage in conversation and interpersonal games with the intent to create a sense of solidarity and an opportunity for our freshman class to connect with each other.
This one-day retreat is off campus at Weaver Elementary School, utilizing Weaver’s off track calendar to provide classrooms where students meet in small groups with upperclassmen leaders and a LAHS faculty advisor in each room. Lunch can be purchased or students may bring his/her own.
Students who decline to participate in GWAM continue with regular scheduled classes.
Freshman GWAM participants attend LAHS on this day, and meet in the gym, then bus to Weaver for the retreat, returning to LAHS by dismissal. The day offers a wide experience of interpersonal discussion, games, reflection, and learning about the multiple perspectives of culture, language, backgrounds and life experiences which make up Los Alamitos High School. Our hope is to establish the understand, everyone is unique; yet, we each are the same, high school students in need of connectivity and support from others to access unlimited possibilities during high school and beyond.
G.W.A.M Faculty Leaders
Cynthia Avina cavina@losal.org
Blake Hyepock bhyepock@losal.org
Maria Kibtya mkibtya@losal.org