EDITORS NOTE: This article is the first of a 2 part series examining clubs at Triton. This week we are examining the large clubs with high student numbers. Next week we look at the medium to smaller clubs.
Triton High School is home to many clubs that students can join as an after school activity, but why are some clubs so popular?
Students are highly encouraged to join clubs at Triton High School. With the club fair along with the late buses, which are there for students who wish to stay after for extracurriculars such as sports or clubs, some clubs are popular.
When Assistant Principal Joseph Celia was asked about the importance of clubs he responded “I think it’s very very important that kids get involved in extracurricular activities, whether that’s Sports, drama, choir, Art Club, DECA, Esports, the coffee Club, student council,” said Celia
“When we’re invested in more than just 7:40 to 2:13 I think we are engaged at a higher level and I think that reflects in a student’s academic achievement, social engagement, and overall creates a more positive experience for a student in the school”
Clubs at Triton are formed when a group of students comes up with an idea for a club. Then they must find a teacher willing to volunteer time and stay after school to advise the club. After an advisor is secured and the club becomes official the club must run successfully for one year. Finally in the following year it is accounted for in the budget. The biggest clubs at Triton are also some of the longest-running: DECA, Community Service, and Student Council.
Celia is in charge of managing the club fair that is held every year. The fair is held in the early week of the school year and is a chance for the incoming freshman to sign up for clubs. Captains go down during the fair and advertise their clubs to the incoming students trying to recruit new members.
When asked his thoughts on what makes some clubs so popular he responded “I think it’s if it’s a few different factors right, it’s going to be the topic right. Is it a topic that a lot of kids can get excited about?“ said Celia
”I also believe it has to do with the advisor and how they set the club up and a really interesting topic or activity, with the addition of an advisor who’s passionate about what they do creates a group of students that get passionate about what they’re doing. Which would result in word of mouth and people talking to each other about this club being awesome, which would grow the numbers.”
Community Service
The Community Service club is run by Mrs. Irene Thompson and Mrs. Theresa Karol. It is a club where students can give back to their community and is a way for students to track their community service hours.
It keeps students accountable and also introduces them to opportunities to help their community. Some of these opportunities include Saturday night meals and Sweet Paws Rescue. “It’s a great way to be active and involved in your community you learn things about your community that you might not otherwise know and you know just always feels good to give back,” said Thompson
“I easily get busy with other things so being advisor to the club – I really enjoy seeing our students going out into the community doing good work. It makes me feel very proud ”
Community Service is a club with a long standing and various positions of leadership to run it.
Some of these roles include president, vice president, treasurer, and public relations. People elected to these positions are voted on by the members of the club. Responsibilities are placed on those in these positions, where they have to stay for extra time and plan out opportunities for the club.
DECA
DECA is run by Mr. Frank Torres and Mrs. Lantaigne. According to Torres “DECA is about enhancing, creating and guiding students to be leaders in their communities, entrepreneurs, risk takers and community builders.” said Torres “It allows students to properly learn to create and present as a business professional in all fields from finance to entrepreneurship, investing”
It is a club with a long history. Starting in 1946, it was established as a distributive education club for schools in America. When Torres joined DECA, there were only 60 schools involved with it. Now there are 231 schools involved and has 20,000 members in the state.
DECA does not have the traditional leadership positions most clubs have. Instead they have a leadership team where all share equal power. Their slogan is “Live it, learn it, love it, DECA”
Student Council
Students Council is a club run by Mrs. Beaulieu They meet every Wednesday before school and have a meeting. During this meeting they discuss school events such as Homecoming and Spirit Week. It allows student voices to be heard for the planning of events to provide feedback.
Senior Benjamin Cadieux has been in the club since he was a freshman. When asked why he thinks the club is so popular he responded “To join the decision making process of things like Spirit Week homecoming stuff like that and it’s helpful to the school to have a student voice.”
