Since the start of the 2023 fall term and last school year, student-ran clubs have been on the rise at La Pine High School. Previously, it would have been a long and complicated process if a student wanted their own club at the school and is what steered a lot of students away from creating the clubs they wanted. The registration process was, “Too complicated and too far out of the way” according to Ian, a junior who is the current president of the Games Club.
As of this year, 3 new clubs have been established and have already gained quite the following. The Spirit Club, Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and Games Club, all created and organized by students, are all new and on the rise this fall term.
Spirit Club, run by some of the cheerleading team, has rolled into motion this past month and has been busy with all things school spirit. From decorating to organizing school events, Spirit Club has been hard at work making LPHS a fun and engaging place for students and staff alike. “We work as a sort of creative directory for school events” exclaims Madison, one of the members of the Spirit Club.
Spirit Club meets in the LPHS library every Wednesday during lunch to discuss future events and ideas that they plan to host or help out with within the school. The club also aids the leadership class with organizing school-wide events as well as promotes the student section at athletic events.
The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is another new student-run club at LPHS. Making its appearance near the beginning of this year, it has already attracted a few students. GSA is a club that provides a sense of security to students that want to talk to peers about issues related to their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The club serves as a safe place for students to meet and support each other with the common goals of ending homophobia and transphobia. GSA has meetings every Wednesday in Ms. Bryt’s room.
Games Club, established by Ian Bascue and Timothy Perryman has been in full swing since it started in October. Although the club is still very young, it has already gained the attention of students from all over the school. The club specializes in playing video games but also offers a fun environment for students to connect and socialize with peers who share common interests.
The club currently limits itself to playing the game Super Smash Bros. but according to one of the presidents of the club, Timothy Perryman, “…Soon we are going to play Minecraft too”. Games Club also hosts tournaments once every month and offers a $5 entry fee to anyone who wishes to join with the appeal of a $50-$100 cash prize. This month, the club plans to host a Super Smash Bros. tournament.
Adequate funds are also a concern for the Games Club. The use of consoles, remotes, and TVs can all prove to be a little costly so to combat this, “We fundraise for our equipment and if we want something and can’t fundraise, some of us pitch in to pay for it out of pocket” states Ian Bascue, one of the founders of the club. Games Club meets every Wednesday and Friday and are always accepting members as well as donations to the cause of gaming.
The new adaptations to club creation at LPHS have made it easier than ever before to create student-run clubs. These student-ran clubs have been established since then and are flourishing because of the newly found policies. The clubs will only continue to expand as the year progresses and will continue to provide for students throughout the school year.
