The Panther

Inactive Clubs Shut Down

Tuesday, November 04, 2008 By Shannon Bush

With 62 different clubs at Palmetto, not counting performance groups, every student has a wide variety of after school activities to choose from, ranging from interest groups to community service organizations. To the dismay of students who desire to form their own clubs, the district required that Palmetto maintain the same number of clubs as last year. “We were told by district that no new clubs were to be added this year,” activities director Angie Lima said. Senior Ariella Ederi was disappointed in the district’s new rule, which thwarted her efforts to form the club “Go Red,” regardless of her efforts at the end of last school year. The club, connected with the American Heart Association, is designed to increase awareness of the increasing rates of obesity and health problems associated with the heart. “Ms. Lima told us to have a constitution, a list of students willing to join and a sponsor by the end of last school year, which we did. I was disappointed because I was really excited and confident that it was going so well, and then it was taken away. It wasn’t fair, ” said Ederi. At the end of the last school year, sponsors and club officers who believed that their clubs were not actively participating in school events and internal activities mutually agreed with Lima to become dormant this school year, such as film club. At Film Club meetings, members would discuss ideas for films and collaborate in making their own movies. The club was suspended this school year because both Lima and the club sponsor Robert Gordon agreed that the club was not active. “They were not involved in school activities and did not submit their monthly reports. They were not fulfilling their purpose,” Lima said. Many brand new Palmetto clubs that are one year old have still been active enough to maintain their existence. Neuroscience Club president senior Marian Ruan is confident that her club is strong enough to be prominent in years to come. “We are going to go to science classrooms to recruit members for next year. In March, we are going to elementary schools to teach young students the basics of neuroscience and the brain during Brain Week. We also want to compete in the Brain Bee, which involves single and team competitions,” Ruan said. One aspect that helped lead to the downfall of many clubs was the large number of upperclassmen and the disproportionately smaller number of underclassmen. However, Ruan does not feel that this is a problem in Neuroscience Club. “The club includes all grades. There are a lot of upperclassmen and underclassmen,” Ruan said. Lima says that though administration is not cutting clubs this year, the school board may require them to next year. Clubs are advised to focus on their activities to escape possible cuts in the future. “To show that they are active, clubs should participate in curriculum and club fairs, monthly service projects and homecoming week and turn in their monthly reports,” Lima said. The clubs at Palmetto cover a wide range of interests and abilities. Students are advised to narrow their focus and become more active in the clubs that interest them most. This should prevent the many clubs at Palmetto from becoming dormant or suspended.