At Stroudsburg Junior High, students may not be aware of the extra-curricular activities that are available to us.
Extracurricular activities are a significant factor in long-term high school success. Most colleges look for students who are involved in these activities.
Stroudsburg Junior High School has a diverse amount of clubs that could look great on a college application. An example is the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). This club can look very good on a college application because it allows you to volunteer for different organizations and compete in things that you excel in that you may be interested in doing for a future career.
At the Mountaineer, we asked a wide variety of students about this club and the results were shocking. Going into this, the thought process was that students would know more about what activities are here at SJHS.
Some believe FBLA means Federal Business League Alignment and that the purpose of this club was to compete in challenges.
Though we did get a lot of incorrect answers, we also got people who did not know anything about the club and just replied with things like “Idk.”, “I forgot.”, “Not sure.”, Only 63% of the students knew what FBLA stands for and even fewer students knew what the club was for.
Another club that is not well known is the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) club. This club is about listening to students about how they feel in the school district based on inclusion and diversity. They hold events during the school year to create a sense of community where everyone feels welcome based on their culture.
For those interested, the first meeting of this club is Wednesday, November 15, 2023. The meeting will be in the cafeteria afterschool from 2:30 to 4:30. For more information, see Ms. Orenstein.
When surveyed, a surprising amount of students do not know about this club. I interviewed the vice chairperson for the DEI school board committee, Erin DeRosa, and she said that this club is essential because our school district is very diverse and we, as a district, have a large percentage of students. Our student body consists of members varying in color, sexual orientation, physical ability, and cultural backgrounds. This club explores concerns about fair treatment and bias behaviors from both students and staff; It provides members with a voice. Overall, the club’s goal is to make a safe space for all students to feel welcome in their school.
Trying new things and having an open mind will really help improve our school for the better. The college board of admissions is going to look for these activities on your college applications. As freshmen, it is imperative we get involved now.