Clubs’ survival depends on consistent members

Zackery Thomas, Videographer
December 20, 2011
Filed under Activities and Clubs

Borah teachers and administration encourage every student to find an extra-curricular activity, and Borah has all sorts of clubs to meet students’ interests. However, some clubs aren’t active from year to year. This year is no exception.

Some clubs exist because they are a tradition, others form from a passing passion. Clubs are active whenever a student has an idea for one and puts forth the work to organize it. Then there are clubs that die, or have a nasty trend of thinning out after certain events or graduating classes.

When Business Professionals of America (BPA) lacked members, it combined with a club that has similar goals of giving students professional business experiences. “There really isn’t a BPA now,” said teacher Brad Baumberger. “We didn’t have enough members on our own so we got together with DECA to have enough people for a club and participate in competition.”

Key Club is another club that experiences spikes in its membership.

“We always have so many people up until Homecoming,” said senior Jocelyn Schelske, Key club’s president. “We plan out the dance, then, once it is done, over half the members leave.”

Schelske added, “I feel as though members want to be a part of something–which is great–only, when it comes to the greater good that involves work, they shy away.”

Key Club leaders found themselves looking for any way to get their name out to the student body so members would join in to have fun and experience the Key Club community.

Many clubs are brought up with a single purpose and manage to gain loyal members that work to keep the clubs active. Others, like ACE Club (Art Community and Ecology Club) have virtually disappeared from campus or survive by combining with another group, like BPA and DECA. Lastly there are clubs the rumor a start down the hall but no one actually takes the steps in starting them.

Many students find it difficult to join clubs from conflict with other club meetings making them choose between two or three clubs. Most clubs are managing to stay on while others come to an end. It all really is decided on Borah’s participation in extra-curricular activities.