Zoey Zelinger (286)

Here at Central, we’re privileged enough to walk into the girls’ and gender-neutral bathrooms and find bins full of free feminine products. To many students, this may seem unremarkable, but the CHS Period Club has worked tirelessly to give menstruating students the access they deserve. They’ve been planning fundraisers since the pandemic, holding bake sales four to five times a year, and putting out calls for grants from companies offering free menstrual products for students like Always, Stayfree, and Honeypot.

When you look in the bins, you’ll notice the Period Club has taken into consideration factors like preference and sustainability. Their product assortment is diverse and there are reusable options available in Central’s Health Resource Center (HRC), which are appealing to those who want an environmentally safer choice. To raise awareness, the club wants to bring in organizations for demos on how and why to use the less common products. 

Ms. Tara, part of the HRC and sponsor of the Period Club notes, “People are very, very thankful for the products but don’t necessarily know where they’re coming from.” To tackle the issue, the club has hung flyers by the bins with details about where the products come from and places to find more information. “Now that the bins are out in the open, there are more conversations about [menstruating].” The club’s advocacy has shown that students are interested in supporting and talking about periods, whether they have it or not.

This passionate group is only getting started on their work toward wider awareness and access. As many members graduated in the spring, rebuilding the club is a main focus this school year. Ms. Tara and new club president Mia Santiago (285) are looking to make it a service club, so head to meetings on Tuesdays during advisory or speak to Ms. Tara anytime in the HRC (Room 10) if interested in getting involved and helping out the Central community.