Take Flight 🦅

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! My name is Ms. Gruettner, and I am West Leyden's Student Activities Director. Leyden offers so many opportunities to get involved, including joining clubs, attending special events, participating in spirit days, volunteering in the community, and much more.

Visit the West Leyden Clubs page (Leyden webpage > Activities & Arts > Clubs - West) or see a list here. Most clubs will have their first meeting in the next few weeks. You can always check the West Leyden Student Activities calendar or email the club sponsor for more information.

During your lunch period, stop by the Student Activities Office (room 125, located between the Student Cafeteria and the Commons) to say "Hi!" or email me at agruettner@leyden212.org with any questions!

10. College Admissions

9. Better Mental Health

8. Development of Networking Skills

7. Résumés

6. Essential Life Skills

5. Productive Breaks

4. Social Opportunities

3. Higher Self-Esteem

2. Explore Interests and Broaden Perspectives

1. Improve Academic Performance

Click here to read more about these benefits

Service Club traveled to Thailand this summer! While there, students participated in two meaningful service opportunities.

One project took place at a low-income school in Chiang Mai. Leyden students worked to support the school in providing food for its students in two ways. First, they mixed materials such as sawdust, minerals, and molasses by hand to create the substrate needed to grow mushrooms. Students then packed this mixture into bottles and added mushroom spores so they could eventually be grown and used to feed the students at the school. Next, they repaired the school’s garden beds and planted eggplants to provide more food for the students. Another project was at Hug Elephant Sanctuary, where students prepared food for the elephants and planted bamboo that will be used to feed them in the coming years.

Here’s what one student shared about the experience:
"Working hard for the service project made me realize how hard kids younger than me have to work just to be able to get food in their hands. This inspired me to work hard during the project to let the kids have their fun."

If volunteering is something you’re passionate about, or if you’d like to give back to our local Leyden community and beyond, consider joining Service Club! Email Ms. Melissa Zapata (mzapata@leyden212.org) or Ms. Daliha Orozco (dorozco@leyden212.org) for more information.

These is some of the wildlife that is attracted to Leyden's pocket prairie:

Starting this year, all Leyden students in any club will need to use the 5-Star Students app or link. It is with 5-Star that sponsors will create their club rosters.

With 5-Star Students, you can:

• access a complete list of Leyden clubs & activities in which you can get involved;
• see when & where meetings & events are taking place; and
• check in & out of activities to verify participation / attendance.

You can access 5 Star Students via your cell phone or Chromebook:

• Mobile App: To download the 5Star App on your phone, click HERE.
• Chromebook: Go to www.5starstudents.com & click on "sign in". BOOKMARK this link!

📲 To log into 5-Star, use your Leyden Google account info (email and password).

📲 To see an overview on how to use the mobile app, click HERE.

📲 To learn how to check yourself into meetings & events using the mobile app, click HERE.

🎭 Audition link 🎭

Transferring to a new school can be overwhelming, but with your help, we can make it a much smoother and more welcoming experience.

Be a Transfer Ambassador to welcome, help, and support incoming transfer students at West Leyden.

What does a Transfer Ambassador do?

• Be paired with an incoming transfer student

• Meet your student on their first day of school

• Give a tour of the school

• Help them get their materials and Chromebook

• Show them where their classes are located

• Invite them to sit with you at lunch and introduce them to your friends

• Stay in touch and offer support throughout the school year

Fill out this form by the end of the day on Friday, August 22nd, if you're interested in being a Travel Ambassador!

Reach out to Mr. Javier Vasquez (jvasquez@leyden212.org) with any questions.

We’d love to have you be part of this important and rewarding program!

Do you have basic video camera and editing skills? Are you organized, a team player, and eager to learn? Do you need some extra cash? If you answered 'yes' to all of these questions, Leyden has a great opportunity for you!

Leyden's Communication Team is hiring 1-2 SENIOR student interns to assist with video production.

Interns will need to commit for the entire school year and be available to work outside of school hours. This is a paid position! If you are interested, you must apply by Tuesday, September 2nd. Click on the accompanying image for more information.

We want you HERE! Leyden's new "Strive for 95" campaign offers a lot of cool prizes for students who strive to maintain 90% or higher attendance.

• Monthly raffles to win Leyden clothing, free Homecoming or Prom tickets, Stanley drinking cups, Javaccino dollars, pizza parties for you & your friends, and much more.

• 1/2 off Homecoming tickets
• $20 off Prom tickets (juniors & seniors only)

We Are... Awards nominees can qualify to receive Javaccino (students) / Gold and Bold Café (staff members) gift cards. In addition, students may be recognized at Student of the Month breakfasts and staff members may be recognized at staff meetings.

To nominate a student or staff member, you need to fill out this We Are... Awards Google Form.