Study Smart:Stand Out at School

The Club Life!

To Start a Club

Starting a club can be lots of fun. It's great to get to plan things and do things for yourself. But, it can be hard to get help and keep things going. If you want support for you club, form it at school. Why?

• At school, you get a place to meet that's safe.
  
  
  • At school, you get support like copies and sometimes money for activities.
    
    
    • At school, you can do official things like fundraising bake sales so you can take a trip.
      
      
    • At school, you also get recognition.
      
      
  • At school, you can ask speakers in.
    
    
• At school, you can get more members - all the students at your school!

Steps to Take

• You'll need permission from your school.
  
  
• Members will have to be students at the school, no outsiders, sisters or neighbors.
  
  
• You'll need an adult advisor, probably a teacher.
  
  
• You'll need a club name.
  
  
• You'll need a purpose - that means, why do you meet? What's the club about?
  
  

Here are some ideas for clubs:

Drama Club	Country Music Club	MTV Club
Outdoors Club	Hiking Club	Christian Youth Club
Peacemakers Club	Computer Club	Amnesty International Club
Cooking Club	Pet Club	Future Leaders Club
Chess and Strategy Games Club	Academic Olympics Club	Honors Club
Book Club	Art Club	Photography Club

If they don't have one at your school, start an Honors Club, Student Council, Pep Club, Astronomy Club or 4-H Club. You can also start a Scout Troop.

• Arrange for a regular meeting time, like every week.
  
  
• Ask the school to give you a place to meet.
  
  
• Think up an activity to get started like and get members: a pizza party, ice cream give away, etc.
  
  
• Create a goal. Something students can do together like, Have a Shelter Pet Adopt-a-thon, or Pet Show, or Bike and Skate Rally, or Weird Science Fair, or build a Haunted House.
  
  
• Put flyers everywhere.
  
  
• Invite students. Tell other teachers.
  
  
• See if you can put an announcement in your school paper.

What the Advisor Does

• Makes sure you know about and follow all the rules of the school.
  
  
• Gives direction and help you plan.
  
  
• Attends meetings and activities.
  
  
• Helps keep you focused and have fun.
  
  
• Helps you get speakers and school money for activities and projects.
  
  
• Helps you plan activities.
  
  
• Helps you with any fundraisers to do fun things like take trips.
  
  
• Helps you advertise your club events by using school supplies to make flyers and posters.

Running a Club

• If you're in charge you have to show up for the meetings.
  
  
• Be enthusiastic.
  
  
• Have ideas on what to do, but let other kids speak and do too.
  
  
• The idea is for everyone to get involved and have fun, not just the officers.
  
  
• If you're doing more than 25% of the work, you need more members or to share more of the job.
  
  
• Stay neutral. Don't pass judgment.
  
  
• Keep good records and be organized.
  
  
• Smile. A good sense of humor helps.
  
  
• Looking for more about how to organize and plan activities? Check out the School Dance Planner

Getting the Most From a School Club You Join

• Invite your friends at school to join.
  
  
• Show up for meetings and participate. You get out of it what you put into it.
  
  
• Make sure your opinions, feelings and ideas are being respected.
  
  
• If you don't like something, or you get ignored a lot, talk to the advisor, alone. Speak out!
  
  
• If you get assigned a job, do it. If you can't do it, tell somebody before it's too late.
  
  
• If nobody can make decision in the club, let the advisor know. They can give you direction.
  
  
• If everybody is fighting all the time, ask the advisor for a club meeting on conflict resolution.
  
  
• If you find yourself saying I-can-do-this-better, do it. Lead! Run for office.

Voices

Getting Into Clubs- Getting into clubs is easy. First, you need to know what kind of stuff you like to do. If you like pottery, then join the pottery club. If you like basketball, then join the basketball (team) or club. -- Monica.m

For clubs give it the go. Say you're going out for the math club. Brush up on your math facts. Give it all you got and don't be shy. Show the full inner you.

I'm Caitlyn and these are my tips! Is there a club or program you would like to try out for, but you are afraid you won't fit in? Sound like you? Well what you should do is study the subject of the club. If it is a Drama Club research on the theater and get your information. Also be calm and don't worry about it! You'll succeed. Remember DON'T use most of your time on the club. You have other priorities in school remember. --Caitlyn

You'll make memories you'll never forget. Like the field trip gone bad. And things that were good. Like the beach after beach cleanup day. -Natalie

Get involved in extracurricular activities - not only for fun but for your resume. Bored after you've finished homework? Don't have too many friends? Not enough things to put on your high school/college resume? Extracurricular activities are your solution. Doing things outside of school is fun.

Through these kinds of activities you can strengthen yourself physically, such as in sports and dance, intellectually in debate and chess, artistically in music and art and socially in community service and Scouts. It's a perfect way to make new friends and have fun if you're bored. However, don't over-schedule yourself. Getting involved to much means no time to do that forgotten homework of yours and get together one-on-one with friends. -- Constance