The homework load of a typical high school student can be overwhelming enough, but some students, like junior Rohit Paka, senior Shriya Endlaw and junior Ayana Dev elected to expand their to-do lists even further. When the school day ends, students like these don’t go home, the opposite. They stay at school to lead a club.
According to research by MoldStud, building confidence, improving communication skills and developing time management are the few advantages of leadership roles in high school. Joining clubs helps students achieve leadership skills in high school through clubs, sports and honor societies. As the school year comes to an end, it is time for the old club leaders to pass the torch to the next generation.
DECA
Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is a global organization focused on helping students gain practical skills and experience in marketing,finance,hospitality and management, aiming to prepare them for future careers in these fields.CHS’s chapter has about 200 members. There are seven available positions of leadership in DECA. Some of the jobs are directing competitive events, fundraising and promotion.
“We usually get about 30 applicants, so it is very competitive,” marketing teacher Jennifer Piotrowski said. “We have roles suited for the upperclassmen and also roles suited for the underclassmen.”
In order to be a member of DECA, one has to be enrolled in either intro to marketing, marketing 1, entrepreneurship 1 or entrepreneurship 2. In DECA, the teachers are the ones to decide the leaders each year based on their application and DECA experience.
Indian Student Association
Promoting awareness of Indian heritage and traditions, the Indian Student Association (ISA) organizes cultural events and activities. ISA plans events such as Desi Prom and even collaborated with Asian Student Association (ASA) to organize a Lunar New Year celebration. There are ten available positions on the board with all of them working as a team to run the club. Paka prepares the upcoming leaders to run ISA after he retires his position as the secretary and is the co-president next year.
“To prepare the next leader to take over my role, I am providing full mentorship,” Paka said. “I would do this by describing the challenges I had and how I overcame them.”
The selection process of ISA includes an online application and an interview with a current ISA leadership member. In order to be an effective member of leadership, applicants should show deep affection towards the culture and strong public speaking skills are needed according to Paka. He advises future members to prioritize the club and to be open to feedback.
Photography Club
Students who are interested in improving their photography skills can be a part of the Photography Club. Some of the club’s activities consist of learning to take photos on a DSLR camera, working with Photoshop and editing pictures on a phone. The club has six available positions in leadership. As the president, Endlaw says she is in charge of a lot of work, but over time, she learned how to delegate tasks to other members.
“I really focused on making sure that I knew everyone’s skill sets and how to use them for the club’s benefit which really helped the club this year,” Endlaw said.
In order to become a board member, students should show interest in teaching others how to take pictures, use photoshop and volunteer to photograph school events. There is an online application which consists of questions that test one’s capabilities and commitment to the club. After being in the club for two years, Dev will be returning as president for the upcoming school year.
“We are making sure that Dev knows how to run everything and understand his role,” Endlaw said. “In addition, I am making sure that he has access to all the past materials so he can refer if he needs any help.”
