Walking past the halls after school, students are chatting in classrooms with crafts sprawled out, paint everywhere, projects being created, and laughter surrounding the room.
These students are a part of extracurriculars, more specifically, after-school clubs run by sponsors where they create unique projects, get to be a part of community, travel and develop skills and morals for the future.
School-hosted clubs are a great way to allow students to make a new family and feel wanted and loved by their peers. Clubs serve as a way to make students more involved and proactive in school.
Interact
Interact sponsor and math teacher Brenda Marlett said she hopes that Interact will allow students to be more involved in our community and give back to those in need. For example, Interact runs an annual canned food drive to help families in need.
“All students are welcome,” Marlett said. “As long as students want to help give back to their community they are able to join.”
Students meet after school on Wednesdays in Marlett’s room (F12).
GSA
Senior Amethyst Thompson, president of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), wants the club to be a safe space for students from all walks of life no matter their identity, race or gender. They meet after school on Wednesdays in ASL teacher Nikki Self’s room (G35).
“I hope that here at the high school all students, no matter if you are a part of the LGBTQ+ or not, join,” Thompson said. “I want this to be a safe place for students to find forever friends and become part of an amazing community.”
S.A.V.E
Students Advocating for a Viable Environment (SAVE) founder and president Kristina Birkeland wants to spread awareness of the ongoing climate crisis our world is facing and wants all students to help spread the word one step at a time. Meetings are every other Thursday after school in Mr. Mcdonald’s room (E28).
“Realistically speaking I know we cannot save the planet,” Birkeland said. “I just want to spur a community that can kind of surround this issue and come together and fight for our planet.”
Chess Club
English teacher Jared Smith, the chess club coach/sponsor, said he hopes that any students at our school will join as long as they can respect the rules and have fun. Meetings are every Thursday from 4-5 p.m. in room A9
“This is a place for students to learn the game on 64 squares,” Smith said. “I only have two rules: that whenever they come in, as they are sitting down, I will expect the highest level of decorum, and you cannot resign until you beat me.”
Culture Club
The culture club sponsor, librarian Nikki Stroud, said she thinks that Culture Club is very diverse and informative. This club exists to help make all students feel comfortable and help them find people they can relate with. Meetings are held every other Monday after school in the library.
“There are a few aspects of the club,” Stroud said. “It’s here to spread information about different cultures and to make students feel welcomed. Students are in charge of this club and it allows them to grow and feel responsible because they have a baby to take care of.”
Criminal Justice Club
Senior and Lieutenant Tristan Dorado explained that he is a part of the Criminal Justice Club where students get to learn and experience what it’s like working in the field all the while developing new real-life skills.
“We train for real life first responding events like law enforcement, lawyers, all of that–just what they would do in real life so we can get a taste of what the actual field looks like,” Tristan said. “Also, as of right now, we meet in Ms. Brown’s room from 4-5 p.m. on Tuesdays because Officer Stutsman’s room is currently being renovated. Once his room is back to normal, it’s going to be D4 from 4-5 p.m., same time and same day every week.”
Tristan went on to state that students should become a part of the club because it also helps you make new friends.
“Personally, I met a couple of my closest friends through this club and it’s just fun all around,” Tristan said.
Skills USA
There also happens to be a club specifically designed to develop automotive skills. Automotive teachers and sponsors Bob Herring and Cody Zdyb stated that students who choose to be a part of Skills U.S.A. work with others, travel to different places, and come in contact with some incredible people and places.
“Skills U.S.A. is a national club that allows students of all CTE careers and CTE programs to come together, learn leadership skills and showcase their trade skills so they have an opportunity to compete against one another all across the nation and travel, see a bunch of cool things and cool people,” Zdyb said. “We also meet in my classroom (CT10) about once a month.”
Improv Club
Improv Club is here to give students a laugh. Senior Ben Derting explained that, although it’s a lot like theater, improv lacks scripts, revolves around comedy, and is completely up to the actors’ interpretations.
“Improv is Improvisation,” Ben said. “We do theater without scripts and we have comedy shows where we try to be funny. We get a prompt and we use that prompt to make up scenes on the spot. We usually meet before shows, typically the week of, we’ll be either in the black box or onstage.”
When asked about why he wanted to join improv Ben said his siblings who were once in improv could make a whole room light up with laughter and he too wanted to do that for others.
“My siblings were a part of improv years ago back in 2016 and whenever I watched them they seemed so passionate about it even though they weren’t fully a part of theater,” Ben said. “It helped them be louder and every time I heard people laugh around me, I thought, ‘I want to be able to do that for someone else one day.’”
Anime Club
For those who enjoy Japanese Animes and reading Manga, the Anime Club has officially restarted and students involved are thriving.
Biology teacher Susan Scott said that the club mainly focuses on Japanese anime culture and has even helped the students develop their motivation and confidence as leaders.
“It’s student-led,” Scott said. “It lets them grow as leaders and they’re using this club as an opportunity to grow in their leadership skills and that’s why I turn it over to them. I’m more of an oversight person. We normally meet Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in my classroom from 4-5 p.m.”
Scott went on to say that students who were interested should join the club because it gives students the chance to step out and become their own person.
“I really think people should join the club because it gives you an opportunity to meet people that have your same interests,” Scott said. “It keeps you from going home and being isolated, and you are able to meet different people and grow as a person because you can see different perspectives instead of just your own.”
