Clubs are a great way to connect people with similar interests, yet no one talks about how that club that brought all your friends together started. Joining and participating is easy, but what happened behind the scenes to get things started?

First, according to Mr. Heath, “the key is getting a sponsor. If you have a sponsor, I’m going to sign off on it.” The first thought a student probably has is what if I can’t find a sponsor? Or if I lose one? Well if that happens, go to Mr. Heath. He sends an email out to all the staff. Cy-woods faculty wants to help as much as they can. Keep in mind that the sponsor must also be approved by the principal.

Next, when you bring your club idea to Mr. Heath or Mrs. Hurley, they will check the club list to make sure that no other club already exists at the campus that is the same or like the proposed club. “If you would come to me with an idea, what I’m going to tell you is that I’m going to look at the list, I’m going to get with Heather (Mrs. Hurley) my secretary and ask do we already have a club that’s exactly like what your wanting to do? If so we’re going to make you aware of it. Hey, why don’t you go try out this club first?”

Lastly, every club when they first start needs a specific number of people. Make sure the club meets the minimum requirement of 10 participants. All students must have a signed parent permission slip to participate in the club. A bit of advice from a fellow club leader, “When your friends are doing it, you want to do it too,” says senior Tulasi Lyengar who started the A Capella club. So, get your friends to join and collaborate on a club that all of you would enjoy!

Now you have all the requirements to start a club, but don’t think that you’re done. As a club leader, you have responsibilities. Some of those responsibilities include being present at all meetings, practice sessions, and functions. At first, being a leader might have some getting used to, but there are so many students in Cy-woods that are willing to help you through it and give some advice. “The first year was kind of difficult because I was a freshman, and it was the second semester, so we had no idea what was going on. So, we took some time and kind of got settled in and sophomore year things started to take off. We got our sponsor that we have right now, Mrs. Omick, and she’s just fabulous, she’s super helpful and I think the people who started becoming part of the club helped it really solidify because a lot of them had that passion for music, but they also understood that it was a commitment,” says Lyengar.

If your worried or stressed over the rules and requirements of making a club or if it’ll be excepted, don’t be. People here at Cy-woods are very supportive of the clubs here. “The clubs and organizations are truly the backbones of this school, and my philosophy behind them is that I support them all.” Mr. Heath said.