Are Students too Busy for Clubs?

According to the Honors Society, research has seen a positive correlation between students attending clubs and improved academic performance. Due to this correlation, Silver Creek High School offers a myriad of clubs and activities for students to participate in every week. However, many student leaders and teachers report having issues with club engagement in recent years. Whether it be sports, work, or other outside of school activities, students are having a more difficult time getting committed to clubs around the school. Clubs are having inconsistent attendance, making it difficult for them to thrive.

Even popular clubs, such as Art Club, are experiencing the same issues. Katherine Giese, art teacher and advisor for both the Art Club and previously the Baking Club, has noticed the issues arise with student participation within her clubs.

“I find students that are pulled in a lot of different directions and have a difficult time committing to one club consistently,” Giese said. “Students might show up once and then do not return. When students do show up, they are happy and engaged, but it is tricky to build up a sense of community [with a lack of consistent attendance].”

Having a club with a poor community and inconsistent attendance also might turn students away from the club. A consistently full club with a positive environment is a more welcoming space, rather than an empty and awkward tension lingering over the room.

Charlie Cronk, senior and president of Art Club, also has issues fully committing to a club they are supposed to run.

“Conflicting plans are the main problem with me and going to clubs. Sometimes I can’t even go to art club even though I’m president because of conflicting plans,” Cronk states.

With the semester coming to an end, more students are finding themselves spread thin to fulfill their obligations and prepare for finals, choosing to spend more time on schoolwork than frivolous meetings about picking up trash.

Alex Dobson, junior and member of the Sources of Strength club, has a hard time prioritizing clubs over other commitments.

“My biggest challenge with being involved in school clubs is making sure that I’m actually there,” Dobson said. “I have things going on outside of school and it’s hard to show up. I have classes to focus on.”

Although many students can attend clubs, sometimes it does not appear to be the most exciting option. Their choice is being presented as going home early/going out to lunch or staying inside a classroom they already spent hours in. Clubs are required to do extra work to make their club a more enticing option, such as offering snacks or volunteer hours. This is exactly what Sources of Strength has to do to ensure attendance.

This leads teachers to be uncertain about the future of their clubs. Baking Club was originally a student-led club last school year; however, due to attendance and funding issues, it has yet to make a return this year.

Even though attendance has been an issue in recent years, it doesn’t mean that every club is on the verge of closing its doors. Clubs, such as Sources of Strength, are gaining popularity. Since switching student leaders, Sources of Strength has grown due to their new advertising strategies. Along with posting on Schoology, Sources of Strength is now advertising on Instagram and posters in the hallway of upcoming lunch meetings. The new advertising strategies and meeting schedule have made it easier for forgetful students to remember to attend.

While club attendance is becoming something student leaders aren’t sure of, there are alternative ways to potentially improve this issue. Overall, attendance has been declining but it’s not a lost cause.