Does The School Support Clubs?

FUNDRAISE. Junior Sam Bosanko blows bubbles during Japan Club’s strawberry festival fundraiser. Some clubs feel their fundraisers are less supported by the school than others. Photo courtesy of Jackie Merril.

Students at VHS (Vashon Island High School) are given an opportunity to join a multitude of clubs, such as Japan Club, ASB, choir, etc, where they can explore their interests outside of classes, but still be connected to their school and peers. School clubs are supposed to be supported by the school, but are some clubs favored? Or do students feel the school lives up to its promise.

“I don’t see anything from the school… Besides the help from Jackie Merrill, her daughter, and Mr. E. I see no representation of (The Japan Club) other than the posters we make. I wish that the school would announce our fundraisers in a more timely manner, instead of 30 minutes before they start,” Japan club member Junior Sam Bosanko said.

Instead of the school promoting all of the clubs, Bosanko claims that the school shows less support for some of the clubs. He also suggests that the school should be sending out reminders for their bake sales earlier instead of last minute

“I'm in the Japan club because I’m interested in learning more about Japanese culture and taking a trip to Japan in a month and a half. We’re a club at the school too, so we deserve the same treatment as other clubs,” Bosanko said.

Learning about different cultures is a great way to open one's mind to the outside world, and taking a trip to that country and experiencing the culture first-hand is a great way to enrich a student's learning. Sadly, as stated above, Bosanko feels the school doesn't treat the club with as much respect as the other clubs.

Similarly to Bosanko other members of small clubs feel the school doesn't give them support

Lily Thornton, a senior who's a part of the Choir club, thinks that the school has some issues that need to be addressed regarding the state of certain smaller clubs.

“It's so new that it's hard (to get recognition) , but I feel like they could have done more than just an email or announcement,” Thornton said.

The school’s main form of communication for clubs is through morning announcements and emails, Thornton describes that to actually get people to come, you need to promote it, not just say that it exists.

“We have to do a lot of stuff ourselves… I wish they would promote us more so people would come, because with such a small group it's harder to get different levels of voices like sopranos and altos,” Thornton explained.

Without a wide variety of voices in a choir, you tend to have songs that are all in the same range and the vocals all sound the same. Thornton hopes that if the school would promote Choir Club more, then there would be more student voices heard, literally.

Based on these two students' views, people who are in smaller clubs tend to feel less supported by the school, so by contrast people who are in bigger clubs tend to feel more supported

Catriona Bryce, a senior who's part of ASB has a different opinion on the school’s support of the club she's part of.

“I feel the school does a really good job at recognizing all of their clubs, of course ASB would be the most recognized though, as it helps out with all the events, planning ,and fundraising for school things,” Bryce says.

Bryce sheds light on how she feels the school does support clubs, especially ASB as it directly helps everyone in the entire school, the community as a whole.

“The only thing I could think of that the school could do more for the clubs in general is maybe having an area you could go to (so) you could see all of the clubs and their descriptions, like a bulletin board or something, so when people walk by on the way to class they can see a list of clubs” Bryce recommended.

Bryce’s suggestion of being able to showcase all of the clubs year round could help more students become aware of clubs, and could boost the amount of members in the clubs, making our community tighter. It would be like a permanent club fair.

Students of VHS showcase a variety of differing opinions on how they view the school supports their club, but whether or not they feel the school supports or neglects them they show a strong community spirit as a whole, continuing on with their clubs with or without support