Some of the Mac Members for 2000-2001
                                         (Helped install the 80 flags of DeBahey HSHP)

    The idea for this student organization came about in a conversation among students who thought it would be appropriate to have such a club here at Debakey, surely the city's most diverse high school.
    Sunita Pal and Winifred Frazier officially founded the club in 1999 and served as its first Co-President. They worked with Faculty Advisor, Mrs. Marilyn Hartley, to outline goals, activities, projects, and membership requirements.
    Membership in the Multicultural Awareness club (or "MAC" as it is most commonly called) is open to all interested students as well as faculty members. It has become an annual tradition that the members meet at DeBakey before joining the "Human Race" a fun walk/run supporting cultural awareness and diversity throughout Houston. Fun is had by all and treats await the finishers. Another tradition is the "Frendship Day" flower sale, usually held in October. Funds raised go toward projects that MAC has undertaken.
    The first major project envisioned by Sunita and Winifred was the purchase of a flag to represent each and every DeBakey student's family heritage. The members conducted an extensive survey in homerooms. The results revealed that DeBakey's population-student, faculty, and staff- represented some 80 different homelands.
    And so began the first fund raiser to purchase the flags. In the 2000-2001 school year, under the leadership of Margaret Hoarng, the club members raised enough money to purchase all of the flags on the master list. On a lovely Saturday in the spring of 2001, members arrived on campus early to begin the long and challenging process of unfurling, sorting, and ironing (least popular duty!) the flags. Then each flag had to be attached to a pole (sounds easy?? You try it!) Meanwhile, Mr.Hartley was supervising the measuring of the walls for marking, drilling, and screwing in the flag holders. Up and down those ladders. Only Mr.Hartley and Charity Halphen could do the job without the ladder! It took hours and hours, but what a transformation!
    In 2001-2002, under the leadership of Yasamin Salehi, the MAC members again raised funds by way of the Friendship Day flower sales. With the proceeds, permanent identification tags were ordered so that everyone could readily identify each flag. The members also purchased, had framed, and hung a poster. It is called "The Dream" and its image is that of an American flag with symbols of many different cultures along its stripes. It reads: "We All Have a Place Beneath the Stars." Beside the poster is the plaque signifying the establishment of the club and the roots of the "Flag Dream" in the minds of the co-founders.
    Yet to be purchased and installed: (1) an additional framed poster titled "E Pluribus Unum", another symbolic U.S. flag celebrating diversity, and (2) a Welcome to Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions sign in white letters on blue background to match the flag tags. These projects will have to wait until 2002-2003.
    Additionally, this year the MAC members planned a "paint-the-lab-day." But, oops, it got painted by ghosts! So the members made some purchases to "spiff up" the room and decorated it so that it would be a more pleasant place. Next year they plan to take on the upstairs teacher workroom/lounge, a rather dreary place at present.
    MAC takes an active part in planning and execution of the International Festival. Members volunteer to "man" tables representing various cultures and nationalities. This year ('02) Yasamin co-hosted with Charity, and helped to revitalize the popular fashions from around the world show! Throughout the year, members are apprised of activities in and around our great city- from Cinco the Mayo celebrations, to International Festival in downtown Houston, to events at Rodeo, to foreign film fests- so that members may plan to attend.
    We hope you'll become an active member of MAC and share your own heritage and culture with others!
 

                                               Flags of HSHP

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Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions
3100 Shenandoah Street, Houston, TX  77021
Phone:  (713) 741-2410       Fax:  (713) 746-5211
Principal: Dr. Charlesetta Deason

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http://hs.houstonisd.org/debakeyhs/Departments/spanish/MAC.html