Commit to Clubs
OHS’s club scene has long been a subject of discussion by students and faculty, as student groups maintain inconsistent levels of activity and many fail to survive the school year. I’ve conducted a survey of twenty students in order to pinpoint how OHS can increase participation and engagement in clubs.
The issue is not a lack of interest...
Every single respondent was a member of at least one club, with the majority of the respondents (nine out of twenty) actively participating in two clubs. When asked why they participate in OHS clubs, one student responded: “I choose the clubs that best fit my interests and also have clear goals for each school year.” Another student commented: “sometimes it is easy to get sucked into your own world at OHS because a lot of what we do is individualized. However, clubs force us (in the best way) to really interact together. Additionally, if you have a passion, you can easily find or create an OHS club to fit that interest.”
In addition, the majority of respondents reported that they invest either a good amount or a lot of time into clubs, meaning that they attend meetings and contribute to club-related work outside of meetings.
Do clubs improve your social life at OHS?
Responses suggested that students recognize clubs’ potential to cultivate extracurricular interests and to enable meaningful relationships with their peers. However, respondents were split on how clubs and social life at OHS are actually related. Eight out of twenty reported “yes,” that clubs did improve their social life at OHS. “The best part about being in a club comes from club leadership and being able to connect with others that you lead with […] I have grown incredibly close to so many wonderful people here at OHS through club participation,” says Alexandria Thomas (‘21). In addition, Harrison Scarrow (‘25) commented that “[clubs] make you feel a little less isolated” since “joining a club is like joining a community that enjoys stuff that you enjoy.”
Yet, the majority of students (nine out of twenty) responded that clubs only “somewhat” improved their social life, with one respondent elaborating, “I never really talk to club members outside of club-related work.” Three respondents also reported “no,” that clubs do not improve their social life. “You meet new people but it's hard to form deep connections with them,” says one respondent. Another student comments that “OHS has had a lot of online events and while I believe the intention is good, it’s really hard to have a good conversation online. The entire premise of being able to communicate online is not true.”
The most obvious reason why clubs often fail to provide the benefits that students expect is a lack of activity. Fourteen out of twenty students responded that some OHS clubs are active, but some aren’t. One student reports, “I’m lucky to have found clubs that I am really interested in and that are pretty active, so I am happy. [However,] I have joined countless clubs that I was interested in but turned out to be very inactive, which is pretty disappointing.” The main difference seems to lie in “the management of the club.” A student suggests, “most people simply want to get an item on their college resume, and don't gain anything by running their club well. Thus, [some clubs] are nearly completely inactive with lots of members because of poor leadership. [This] hurts the school's ability to foster a social environment.”
How can we improve OHS clubs?
One student shared: “club leaders shouldn't commit to their position unless they are confident that they will be able to put the necessary time and effort into arranging meetings and such. I understand that people are busy, but it is disappointing for club members when a club is more or less inactive because the club leader is unable to keep things going. I've noticed that many strong OHS clubs involve activities to engage the club's members. I think it's really important that people interact and engage with each other in order for the club to be strong and active.”
Another respondent stated: “I really like that OHS offers a lot of clubs that represent a diverse range of interests, however, they should hold club leaders to a higher standard. Some club leaders are really great, and I really enjoy participating in clubs that are active. However, some club leaders make it clear that leading their club is not their top priority. To improve, I think that whoever is in charge should have check-ins once in a while to see how the club is doing as a whole and whether some changes should be made (in leadership or otherwise).”
I hope this article gives you insight on clubs at OHS and prompts a discussion about improvement moving forward!