Opinion

Opinion Roundup: thoughts on the process for launching a new club

Imogen Kujo, Julia Pavone • March 3, 2025

Students and staff share their opinion on the new club making process.

At Townsend Harris, the club making process involves developing a new club idea, finding a teacher to be your club advisor, having good grades and good attendance, and getting signatures of students that would be willing to participate in the club. The process was recently changed from requiring 50 signatures to requiring 25 signatures per grade. We asked our panel of opinion makers per grade to share their thoughts on the club making process: is it simple and easy as is, should it be more involved, or should it be made even simpler?

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“I think the club making process is very fair. The requirement of 50 signatures from each grade being lowered down to 25 each…shifts the focus to spending more time developing the club…[and] makes the whole process less littered with people trying to create clubs just for college applications. The requirements for grades and attendance are fair too. After all, you have to manage your assignments in order to manage a club…collecting 25 signatures per grade was the easiest part. However the most difficult part was creating a club agenda and slideshow presentation, as that took significantly more time to complete. …[I think] with the changes made this year for more of a focus on club development, THHS will see greater club growth and activity.”

— Junior Brandon Pinto

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“I do believe the requirements are fair. Starting and running a club is an enormous undertaking and a heavy responsibility. We changed some of the requirements this year because we’ve seen so many new clubs fall apart after the founding members graduate. We currently have approximately 90 clubs, which is more than most other schools. We have limited resources such as space and adult staff members to supervise. This year we are hoping that those students submitting proposals for new clubs are doing it for the right reasons–because it’s something they are truly passionate about… I like the idea of approved new clubs starting on a probationary basis. If they can attract a fair amount of students to attend meetings and events, have appropriate supervision, and follow the proper protocols then they would be welcome to continue into the next school year.”

— Staff Member Jaime Baranoff

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Angela You, Art Editor

Angela is a senior at Townsend Harris High School. In her free time, she loves to create digital art, read comics, and play the piano. She loves the friendly community in the Classic Art department as well as the fun activities they do together!

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