Last month, Asian American Club (AAC), the largest student-led organization at Jones, kicked off another year of event programming with an event in the cafeteria.

With student membership comfortably in the hundreds this year, and over 1,250 Instagram followers, Asian American Club (AAC) is practically a Jones institution.

Student, leaders and teachers both cited two main reasons for the club’s success: its organizational structure and an environment that prioritizes the future.

AAC technically isn’t a club; it acts primarily as a blanket organization that unites more than two dozen performance and cultural sub-clubs with separate student leadership, schedules, and performances. AAC organizes the seasonal events that showcase each of the individual club performances.

For some of the smaller clubs in AAC, who normally would need to compete with each other for resources and attention, this set up is a lifesaver.

“Even though AAC is a large club, it’s broken up into so many different sub-clubs that help run events. Also, the sub-clubs are quite independent — they basically act like their own clubs. AAC is the umbrella club that incorporates all of them,” said Backstage Lead Alan Lu ‘26.

These culminate in the Night on the Terrace or the Lunar New Year performances, where culture and dance clubs representing countries across Asia perform to all of Jones. For many, these are the highlight of their club year.

“I work with students in the classroom… I see them working on essays and struggling with writing assignments. But by sponsoring and going to events like AAC Showcase or Night on the Terrace, I get to see them do these amazing performances and see where they put a lot of their time and energy outside of my class,” said sponsor Jeremy Quach.

The other secret to AAC’s success, according to students and sponsors, is the dynamic of mentorship and legacy that students foster.

“The club never feels like it’s starting over — where, hey, we have a new group, and we have to relearn all the lessons. No. People in AAC join their freshman year, join their sophomore year, and they stay there. They learn how things work. So by the time they’re leaders in senior year, they’re carrying on a legacy,” said Quach.

This culture of student commitment often reflects in the motives and journeys of student leaders.

“I joined the Backstage lead team late in my junior year… I just really wanted to help out in that environment going into my senior year, and continue with that — help the people who have helped me, show them opportunities, and uplift them,” said Lu.

Regardless of what drives the club’s success, it’s clear that AAC means a lot to the Asian community at Jones.

“I didn’t go to middle school with a lot of Asians,” said Ava Lee ‘26. “So it’s really valuable to have this community in school for the first time.”

And the club’s sponsors feel the same way.