What is Titan Market?

  After a long day of school, students need a way to re-energize with a small snack… and that’s where Titan Market comes in! The Titan Market is a leadership class that has been running ever since 2019, and it is currently their fifth year. The market runs from 2:20-2:50 pm on Mondays,Thursdays, and Fridays after school. 

   Titan Market is basically Olympia’s very own grocery store. When you walk in, it looks and feels like you’re in a real marketplace. You can pick out any food they have available, and the best part is that it’s all free! 

   Titan Market also runs Fresh Market, which is when they set up a table full of fresh fruits and vegetables to give out to students.

“We began as part of another program”, said Mrs. Jaime Clancy, who teaches AICE General Paper, as well as Titan Market. She was the one who brought Titan Market to Olympia. “Five years ago, another club that I sponsor [Student Support Foundation] was at a conference when we found out about the program that they were just starting. I just asked if we could join the program, and from there, the students formed the group, put all the information and everything together, and went through the process of creating what is now the Titan Market,” Mrs. Clancy stated.

  Titan Market is run by a group of different students, each with their own unique roles and backstories.

Meet the Staff

    Heather Elleman is a senior, and is the manager for Titan Market. “I signed up to be in the Titan Market class because I actually knew the old manager, and she told me to join, and she told me about the purpose of it. She was explaining how we get to help underprivileged kids get access to food, and I thought it was super cool,” Elleman said. “The Titan Market is important to me because it showed me a really good sense of community, and the different ways people are struggling in life. It helped ‘open my eyes’ even more than they already were, and it matured me a lot because I got to learn more about different students and how to be more empathetic,” Elleman shared.

    Every staff member has their own story for why they joined Titan Market, and why it’s meaningful to them. Whether it’s helping others, or making new friends, there is always something to do at the market.

    “I decided to join Titan Market because I wanted a new way to be able to help the school, and to interact with more students than I normally do on a daily basis,” says Isabel Miller, who is a junior and the volunteer advisor for Titan Market. Miller enjoys “helping a bunch of students from school, and getting to see their faces after seeing what we have to offer.”  She feels like she is really making a difference at Olympia.

     Anayah Barros is a junior and the social media manager, and Makenzy Kham is a senior and the social media advisor. “Freshman year I had Mrs. Clancy all year for APEX English 1 Honors. At the end of the year she told us about her Titan Market class, and it really piqued my interest because I used to volunteer a lot when I lived in Massachusetts…”

Barros likes that she is able to volunteer and help out in her very own school. “I think it’s really good that we’ve done more with making recipes, and not just providing the food but also showing kids how to make it. I think it’s really important to take care of the food aspect of your health.” 

     Emily Armao is a  junior, and the fresh market manager. She first joined the Titan Market because she had Mrs. Clancy freshman year, similarly to Barros. Armao loved having Mrs. Clancy as a teacher. “I realized it was something I really wanted to do,” Armao said. She wanted to be able to help her community, and the people that she interacts with every day.  “You never know what people on campus are going through. You might pass someone [in the halls] who is going through food struggles, or poverty. Being able to provide a safe space for people to get snacks or food in general for every-day meals is important because students need food and fuel to be successful,” explained Armao.

“I signed up originally my junior year. I was a part of SGA, and I was offered to join the Fresh Market class,” Sofia Galbis, senior and the Fresh Market advisor, exclaims. She is also one of the Titan Market members in charge of Fresh Market. “I think it’s really cool because we get to provide food for whoever needs it.” Galbis thinks that the market is a safe space for students that need anything to eat, or hygiene products. 

Euro James is the Titan Market officer. Although, you would be surprised to find out that When he first joined the Titan Market, it actually wasn’t intentional at all. “I didn’t necessarily join the class…” James claims. He apparently got put into the class unintentionally, but he ended up not switching out of the class. “I think I stayed because it was like a family feeling here. It wasn’t like a regular class, we were actually having bonds. It was more intimate because there were only a few of us [in the class], and I feel like we got to get to know each other more. I also felt like it was an opportunity to help other people out, so that’s why I stayed,” James said. James formed close friendships with his fellow classmates.

Even though every member has their own reasons for joining or their own stories, they all have one thing in common: their love for helping others. Members of the Titan Market are helping improve the lives of others, as well as each other.

If you ever need to grab a quick snack, or pick out some ingredients to try a new recipe, remember to stop by at Titan Market after school. Talk to your guidance counselor about signing up for the Titan Market class next year, or volunteering at the market. You can make a big difference for Olympia and your fellow students!