At all high schools across Bend, students are encouraged to form, participate in and create clubs based on personal or social interests and to help support academic achievements. However, in November 2025, a new club sparked tension and rumors among students at Caldera High School.
Known as Club America, it was established by president Ethan Plants, vice president Emma Young, Secretary Allegra McFadden and treasurer Lucy Johnson. The four students’ ideals have been influenced by late right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk. In 2012, Kirk and Bill Montgomery founded the student-led organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA). This organization advocates for conservative, right-wing, Christianity-based politics on high school and college campuses.
At Caldera High School, the club has focused on political topics such as the Constitution, socialism, capitalism and Christian beliefs, according to Plants. However, many students at Caldera and other local high schools do not agree with the club’s positions.
“I believe everyone should have their own opinions and beliefs,” said Caldera student Hollyn Gregoriou. “However I think a club that is so political and controversial is not what should have been added to CHS, especially one that goes against the amendment of separation of church and state.”
The legal principle, established in the First Amendment, prohibits a crossing of government and religious beliefs. That being said, the establishment does not require the state government to avoid entanglement of the two, though it seems likely for things to change.
As the club continues to develop, their social media page only expands further. With a total of 251 followers as of April 15, 2026, it’s safe to say the club has garnered significant attention. However, the club’s account hasn’t always been this big. With their start in November 2025, they were quick to enter the world of social networks, trying to spread the word as rapidly as possible, yet they were quick to cross the boundary with a statement that created severe hurt and backlash.
Here in Oregon and in many other states, school administrators are required to take matters into their own hands when they deem a club’s actions have caused unacceptable and unnecessary harm to students. Club America’s statement, “We Are Charlie Kirk” was deleted not long after Caldera Principal Chris Boyd got involved.
Initially, the club’s bio included two lines: “Caldera High School TPUSA” and “We are Charlie Kirk.” These few words had a much bigger impact on all that came across the page. The trend of saying “We are Charlie Kirk” started after his death in September 2025. People who supported him and his views began using the phrase, making posts online and creating merchandise. The phrase was meant to praise Kirk and show commemoration, but some across Bend disagreed with the statement being used in their Instagram biography.
Some of Kirk’s comments and remarks include, “We’ve made a big mistake passing the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s,” referencing the policy that no United States citizens should be discriminated against including their skin color, sexuality or gender. He believed it was an “anti-white weapon,” and criticized the activist Martin Luther King Jr.
Kirk was also known to express his opinions on what roles women should have in society. Quoted at a TPUSA convention in June of 2025, he said “If you are going to college to find a husband that’s a very good reason you should be going.” Kirk addressed this to a group of girls, the youngest being 14, in his audience, encouraging them to get married young instead of pursuing further education paths and careers they might want to achieve.
At a TPUSA convention in April 2023, Kirk stated, “I think it’s worth it. It’s worth the cost of unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so we can have the second amendment.” This was his response to an audience member asking a question about the school shooting crises across America. Kirk acknowledged the deaths but agreed that it is necessary to have innocent lives taken away then lose the right to bear the weapons that cause them.
Campbell Thomas, a student at Summit, stated, “I think that on account of the fact that Charlie Kirk was such an abrasive individual and the phrase ‘We are Charlie Kirk” could arguably be an incitement of violence or put other students in danger due to his views. The students running the club did not have the right to keep it visible on their page.” She added, “I think he was an awful person, and anyone who can excuse the deaths of children as ‘necessary’ is someone completely lacking moral compass.”
Despite Kirk’s behavior, the students representing Club America are very much drawn to him.
Young, the vice president of the club said, “I’ve always liked watching Charlie’s videos and hearing his opinions. Overall, I agree with most of what he said and I respected how much he focused on getting young people involved in politics.”
A survey conducted in September 2025, just two months after Kirk’s death, focused on interviewing about 5,000 people including younger and older generations. It recorded that about 40% of Gen Z had followed very closely with Kirk’s actions as well as about 28% of Gen Z that felt impacted after his passing.
It’s important to recognize no matter what area you side with, that the truth about what is happening, with what political commentators, parties, government and especially what the people are saying, contribute to our society, especially during times in the U.S. today.
Nonetheless, the club’s members have been quite active since November, attending the TPUSA convention held in Arizona last December, and the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center gathering in March.
While the organization continues to exist and grow, the question still remains: Will the club continue to attract more attention in the future, or will something of greater power stand in their way?
