Is Extracurricular Efficiency Essential for Ridge?

Art+credits+to+Erika+Woo%21

Art credits to Erika Woo!

Sanjana Sharma ’18

Extracurriculars: colleges love them, schools nationwide offer them, and students eagerly rush to not only participate, but also compete within them. Extracurricular efficiency evaluation: when we take an in-depth analysis of each extracurricular and decide if we should keep it.

Every morning, students sleepily meander into their classes while the morning announcements are merely ambient sound. Too often, the voice of the morning announcements over the loudspeaker is lost amongst the crescendo of casual chatter and shuffling of papers as students prepare themselves for the day ahead. Those students who do strain their ears for the sake of the announcements frequently find themselves frantically copying down meeting times of multiple clubs. A wave of utter paranoia washes over the students when they come to realize that partaking in so many clubs leaves barely enough time to catch a breath.

Hunter Sheng ‘17 draws on his firsthand experience: “I am a member of Ridge Empowerment Political Participation and I have seen that an influx of school clubs… intimidates underclassmen who are willing to partake in extracurriculars—some for the very first time. Choosing the right club to go to might be stressful for them.”

So here we have it. Right before our eyes, the excitement of joining clubs is turning into a daunting task where underclassmen find themselves bearing unnecessary stress on their shoulders, in addition to pre-existing familial and academic responsibilities. For any intervention to occur, we, the student body, need to ask ourselves if there truly are too many clubs at Ridge. How much is too much? Is there any way administration and students can work together to have extracurricular efficiency at Ridge?

The entire student population of Ridge High School is extremely creative and philanthropic when proposing club missions and objectives. Simultaneously, these clubs provide a comfortable atmosphere for students with the same passions to interact and build strong connections. Organizations such as The Red Cross Club, Mary’s Meals, and Project Sunshine are benevolent because they not only raise awareness for worldwide epidemics, but they also strive to make a difference in alleviating them.

It is important to note, however, that there is a finite number of club ideas that are feasible for high school students. Therefore, the coexistence of clubs with overlapping interests is inevitable. So does that mean the future for clubs at Ridge is doomed? Can this crisis ever be solved? Well, what better way to reach a resolution than listen to the voices of the students of Ridge?

Anna Perczak ’18 expresses her opinion: “The school administration should respond by only allowing certain ideas to be transformed into an official club. Basically, they should refine their filter because the current reality is that there are too many unnecessary clubs.”

Quality over quantity. Like Peczak, many students believe that clubs need evaluation based on their success rate. This is what will help administrators determine if a club should exist or continue to exist.

The Ridge Forensics team is an extracurricular that has consistently kept high goals and maintained a high rate of success. Ridge Forensics is made up of committed, passionate students that all play a vital role in contributing to the positive legacy this club has left behind. In a slight contrast, a recently introduced club, Health Occupational Students of America (HOSA), consists of scientifically-inclined students who compete in health science events. Despite being new to the game, Ridge HOSA placed among the top 15 teams in the state in the spring of 2016, advanced to the final round in all events, and even received an honorable mention. These are just two examples of highly successful extracurriculars that deserve to be preserved, as they have proved their worth and secured their position in giving Ridge High School its distinct flare.

Extracurriculars are supposed to be activities that consist of high school students working cooperatively to bring about positive change in the community, but the current overflow of clubs deters the student body of Ridge from reaching this goal. Thus, it is up to the student body to communicate with administration and emphasize the idea of quality over quantity. It is time for the student body of Ridge to take leadership in their own life and advocate for a much needed extracurricular efficiency.