Students are encouraged to become involved in the school community, but they are not constrained only to join a previously established club.
With a little bit of inspiration and support, students have the freedom to start their own club at Staples.
As sophomores, Maddie Melnick’12 and Anya Rosen’12 founded their club, Global Friendship.
“One day we were talking about how we had pen pals when we were little, and that inspired us to create this club,” Melnick said. Motivated, Melnick and Rosen began the process of creating their club, Global Friendship.
Global Friendship’s mission is to establish relationships among teenagers around the world. The club raises money for Save the Children as well. Melnick and Rosen created Global Friendship independently from any previously established organization, but Melnick said her, “friend recently started a New York City chapter at her school and another girl is beginning a chapter in her school in Westchester.”
“Camp has always been an extremely important part of my life. We fundraised for the program at my sleep away camp, Camp Walt Whitman…I want to share my experience with other, less fortunate kids,” Kaminiski said.
Kaminski’s club, Project Morry, will fundraise money that goes to underprivileged inner city kids to provide them with a summer camp experience.
Kaminski said it’s easier to start a club at Staples that’s already part of a current organization because it sets the foundation. But, it is not necessary; Rosen and Melnick’s club spread to New York!
The process undertaken to make one’s club official at Staples High School is a sweet and simple one. Any student is welcome to pick of a new club form in the Assistant Principal’s Office. The form requires the club’s goals, the name of a teacher advisor, student signatures to demonstrate interest and once this has all been completed, Principal Dodig’s approval.
No initial funds are necessary; the club can be based off any interest, and can be established at any time of the year.
“Because I created it after club rush, I’m going to start with just the friends I’ve talked to about it, who will hopefully recruit their friends as well,” Kaminski said. Hoping news of her club will spread by word of mouth, Melnick and Rosen have already established a solid members base by having tables at club rush, hanging flyers, and creating a facebook group.
“I think that being a senior inspires in you a role of leadership, which I hadn’t felt as strongly in any other year,” Kaminski said. Students can be motivated to start a club no matter what grade and time of the year. As Kaminski, Melnick and Rosen demonstrated, with a little inspiration and want to be involved in not only the Staples community but the global community, they were able to establish their own clubs.
