Sydney Glover
Staff Writer
Have you ever thought about starting a club at SHS? Here is a six step guide to starting up a club.
First, as silly as it sounds you have to come up with an idea for your club.
“I started Aquanauts because I noticed the oceanic students wanted something more than just the class,” Aquanauts adviser Andrew Wex said.
So what is the mission or purpose of your club? What do you want it to accomplish, and is that on a community scale or something bigger? Start by asking yourself these questions, and possibly writing down your answers. This is the first step in creating a club.
“The inspiration has to come from the students, they have to be inspired to want it,” Wex said.
Second, you need to find a president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. These are the individuals that are going to help keep the club running smoothly. They are an essential part of a club because, unlike the other members, they have big responsibilities such as making sure the club doesn’t go over budget, when to hold meetings and what fundraisers to have.
Third, you are going to have to find a teacher or other staff member to be the adviser of the club. The school district requires this so there is no way around it. This might be the most difficult step in the process but do not fear, there are many staff members willing to be the adviser if you sell your club well enough. Just make sure you talk to staff that are really interested in the mission or goal of the club.
“It may be very easy to find a starting advisor for a club, but it’s more difficult to find someone to stay throughout many years,” Key Club President, senior Rebekah Harrell said. Key Club lost their adviser and has had a hard time finding a replacement. They are temporarily operating without one, although Activities Director Andrea Miller, has helped by presiding over club activities this year.
Fourth, you need to fill out the paperwork. This may seem like a daunting task but in comparison to finding an advisor it’s a piece of cake. All you have to do is fill out a few simple questions and bam, you’ve got yourself a club at SHS. Okay maybe it’s not that easy but here’s all you have to do is fill out a few forms regarding the rules of your club.
Fifth, figure out when and where you want to hold club meetings. For this part you are going to have to check in with other clubs and make sure your meetings don’t overlap with theirs. Also, decide how frequently you will hold meetings — two, three, even four times a month.
Finally, you’ve got to spread the word. Try making posters to hang up around the school letting people know a little about your club and when the first meeting will be held. Another great way to spread the word is through social media. Post a flyer about your club in your story, or you could even make an account for your club. Better yet do both, so that you can reach more people.
Lastly, you can go the old fashioned route and just tell people about it during class, at lunch, or after school. It truly doesn’t matter which method you use, just make sure to pick at least one. You can’t have a club with no members, as Wex said.
The Pioneer Press 