Even after the school day ends there is still activity going on in Dewey, even behind closed doors. Club Social, on the other hand, is an event hosted here in Dewey that will explore these extracurricular activities and potentially revitalize Dewey back into the swing of opportunities.
Clubs aim to serve students, allowing them to explore and engage in works that they feel passionate and dedicated to. Despite these principles, morale and attendance have tanked amongst most of these Dewey-led organizations. But why is that?
Several factors contribute to the dilemma at hand, including low student opinion and interest. Looking through the doors of these spaces, the numbers may be impressive or underwhelming, depending on how you view it, with some clubs being the party of the day and others echoing from the absence of activity. Even with efforts like advertisements, posters, class announcements, and such, the Dewey club sentiments are underwhelming.
“Clubs seem random, I feel like they would like more people to join them with the posters in the hallway, but they seem kind of exclusive, it seems to only make sense to join if you have a lot of free time and can still do schoolwork”, said senior Mertcan Kartel.
This quote reflects the broader issue at hand with clubs and maintaining a viable population; even with active promotional efforts, they fall short of an ongoing battle in student’s lives. Factors like strict parents, academic upholding lifestyle, and personal restrictions are considerations that go out of the scope of school/student control.
“It’ll be harder for your club . . you’ll notice a drop in your club attendance because the winter months, especially at the end of the marking period with everyone going to reassessment or the snow and it’s getting darker early” said Senior Advisor and Coordinator of Student Activities, Ms. Escalera.
Now, we students, event organizers, and staff are collaborating on a single day for this grand event. It allows Dewey to welcome and invite more students to realize the grand opportunities offered at their very own school. Club Social is Dewey’s chance for all those who have held back to see and join our esteemed clubs. So come along and bring a pal or two, take your chances with what Dewey has to offer amongst its 40+ clubs, and hear them out.
“It sounds fun, it is a Dewey event in which we all get to be together and look at what we have to offer, it is like our own exciting party”, said Technical Theatre Club advisor Ms. Hooker.
In addition, “Kids can go around and see as well as interact with the different clubs . . it’s like our very own social gathering like you could go with your friends and then like you want to try this, let’s dab a little bit of that, dab a little bit of this, so there is something for everyone”, said Ms. Escalera.
Whether these efforts will pay off in the long run, Club Social is a huge deal. It is a step in the right direction for our school culture, allowing students to explore and become informed on things they never knew they had. This isn’t just an event, it is an effort to bring back student engagement and foster it for a good cause/interest- while building connections and community along the way. Will you take your shot?
