Senior Connor Reyes smiled as he stood before the audience in a red changshan, a traditional Chinese outfit often worn by kung fu athletes on Nov. 4.

As part of a cultural event hosted by the Saratoga Library, Reyes and other Chinese Club members described their club and told people about the traditional clothing they were wearing.

This is just one of the cultural events that Reyes has participated in as a member of the school’s Chinese Club. He is has been an active member since last year, though he has never taken the school’s Chinese class.

”I decided to join Chinese Club because my closest friend Nicholas Di started it and wanted people to come for attendance,” Reyes said. “I ended up sticking around and enjoying it a lot.”

Reyes attends almost every meeting and contributes to many of the cultural events that the club hosts.

“I enjoy the fun culture in the club and we always learn new things about China, like history,” Reyes said. “The activities we do are fun and very interactive.”

These activities include tasting Chinese food, watching documentaries and dramas, listening to Chinese music and playing mahjong, a tile-based board game.

Chinese Club also partners with Korean Club to host an annual Lunar New Year Celebration in the quad, where students can play games and take part in traditions, such as stuffing and sending red envelopes, containing thank you notes instead of money.

Some people find it odd that Reyes is such an active member of the Chinese club even though he is not Chinese.

”I can see why people think it is weird that I am a non-Chinese person in Chinese Club, but I sort of embraced it and used it to help the club with diversity,” Reyes said.