By: Brooke Gronich and Sloane Levine
We are now a little over a month into the school year, and it is time to start thinking about all the many things High School East has to offer and what you can do to get involved. It is important to be an active member of the Half Hollow Hills community. Here are a few ways to make an impact and to get involved.
We are lucky enough to go to a school that has so many clubs to be a part of. The number of extracurricular activities offered at High School East is endless, and it is true that there really is a club for everyone. Every club is open to all students, so head to a meeting, and you may even find something that you are extremely interested in. A great club to join is Best Buddies. This club provides a place to build relationships between students “with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.” The advisor of Best Buddies is Ms. Guarriello, and the club meets on Wednesdays after school in room 551. Involving yourself in Best Buddies gives you the opportunity to make an impact on somebody else’s life while making new friends and having fun. Another great club to join is DECA. DECA stands for distributive education clubs of America. DECA is a business club that teaches skills related to marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. The advisors of this club are Mr. Cappiello and Mrs. Cappiello. There are regional, state, and national competitions as well as many fundraisers and other competitions to participate in. I joined DECA my sophomore year and instantly became very involved since it is such a great organization for students interested in business. If you have a passion for art, then art club is perfect for you! Each year the club does numerous projects around the building and also gives students the chance to further improve their artistic abilities. Mrs. Uttendorfer and Ms. Nelkin are the co-advisors of the art club, and the club meets on Thursdays after school in room 541.
Keep in mind, these are only three of the numerous clubs that HSE has to offer; for more information on clubs, you can visit the HSE website here and take a closer look at all we have to offer! In addition to clubs, our school also has a very versatile athletic department with a lot of different options to have fun in a competitive environment. Trying out for a junior varsity or a varsity team is one of the best ways to meet new people, have fun, and compete in your favorite sport. There are three sports season in the school year, and each is full of options for boys and girls alike. If you are hesitant to try out for a sports team that may do multiple cuts, don’t worry! A number of sports are considered walk-on teams, such as track and cross-country. There are also multiple intramural opportunities that will allow you to stay fit while having fun. It is worthwhile to explore the sports options through athletics at High School East.
We strongly advise all students to take our advice and get involved! Although it may not seem like your first choice of how to spend time after a hard day of classes, extracurricular activities are fun and interesting. Start the year off right and find the perfect club for you, or join the sports team that you’ve always secretly wanted to. It is up to you to make your experience at HSE the best it can be by getting involved in the great big world that exists outside of the classroom.
