AHS offers a variety of clubs and activities for students to participate in. But some students do not know much about them. Read below to learn more about the various activities available at AHS.
FBLA:
FBLA or Future Business Leaders of America i,s a national organization dedicated to students excelling in career readiness opportunities. The skills FBLA can teach you range from coding, accounting, and even ag business. There are 76 competitions available for students to participate in and learn more about. These competitions start at a district level and can lead you to nationals. Aside from competitions, FBLA often does community service work. These activities will help you gain leadership and communication skills.
If you would like to join FBLA, there is a membership fee of $30. Contact the Atlantic FBLA Advisor, Mary. Jensen, or any of the members involved. They typically meet once a month and plan the meeting according to everyone’s schedules. “FBLA prepares you for the future, whether that may be in college or a career field.”
AHS Fuel:
AHS Fuel meets weekly on Tuesday Morning at 7:30 am, where they meet and discuss upcoming events planned. Currently, they are working on planning TWIRP, which is scheduled for December. AHS fuel can benefit a student by getting them involved in the school’s activities or having a say in the school’s dress days, themes, TWIRP, etc.. However, to stay in AHS Fuel, you must attend all meetings with no more than a few unexcused absences per year. Any student looking to join and have a say in the school’s unity is welcome to join. To join, you can either contact Dan Vargason, the AHS Fuel Advisor, or Addie Freund, the AHS Fuel President.
FFA:
FFA is a student-led leadership organization that reaches from the Virgin Islands to Alaska. “It roots in agriculture but is open to everyone, whether you live urban or rural,” said Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller. To be in FFA, you must take one agriculture class per year, attend one chapter activity, and pay membership dues set at $30. Atlantic FFA has monthly meetings where you eat a home-cooked meal and discuss upcoming events. You will also complete a Supervised Agriculture Experience or SAE that will help you gain knowledge of an agricultural field. A SAE can be anything ranging from a ranch hand to a Scooter’s barista.
Also in FFA, you can compete in Career Development Events (CDE) and Leadership Development Events(LDE) Competitions on a sub-distric level, all the way to a national level. “FFA teaches you leadership skills, will allow you to meet new people and expand your horizons,” said Miller.
SkillsUSA:
SkillsUSA is a national student organization that involves industrial technology and leadership opportunities for all students. Sort of like FFA, SkillsUSA can host competitions that can include anything from t-shirt designs to making a cabinet out of wood. Noah Widrowitz, the SkillsUSA Advisor, said to try it out, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay. ¨It will give you more opportunity to hone your skills without being tied to a specific class.¨ It gives the intro or new students an advantage because they might get to try to use a new tool that another kid has never used. They host monthly meetings that change according to the members’ schedules.
Anyone who has been in an industrial technology class is welcome to join with a due of $16. However, that due might change if donations are collected, going towards lowering the $16 fee. If you would like to join, you can contact Noah Widrowitz to learn more information.
Career Association(iJAG)
iJag is a part of a Career Association where students are elected to become a part of the career association. You must first sign up for an iJag class and interview with the iJag teacher, Dawn Walton, before becoming a part of the Career Association.
iJag’s purpose is to prepare students for the workforce or college after graduation. Skills you learn in an iJag class can include how to write a cover letter, communication skills in the workforce, conducting an interview, and learning about different career opportunities. They attend several field trips throughout the year. For example, in a few weeks, the iJag students will be touring the hospital to learn more about unique medical career opportunities after high school that are not your standard nursing position. If you would like to join the Career Association or learn more, contact the counselors or the iJag teacher, Dawn Walton.
FCCLA:
FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) is a student organization that participates in various community service projects & events. Some of these activities are spending time with children at TLC (after-school program), helping them create fun and creative crafts. They spend time with residents at the Heritage House and make pies for the community Thanksgiving.
The group meets every second Monday of each month. Students can join by attending a chapter meeting and paying their dues, which is $16. To learn more about FCCLA, contact the advisor, Rebecca Wallace.
Game Club:
Game club is an after-school student activity where members can play a variety of games, from video games to board games. Different games fluctuate throughout the year, with new games coming out. Students also bring in different consoles and various ways of playing. The group is also planning to do tournaments later in the year. One of their more popular games right now is D&D.
To join, you just have to show up. “It doesn’t have to be a long-term thing; it is open and flexible.” To learn more about the game club, contact advisor Elizabeth Herrick-Williams.
Speech and Debate:
Speech and Debate is a club where students develop their speaking, critical thinking, and argumentation skills. Members compete in events that range from acting categories to spontaneous ones that you make up yourself. “Tournaments are flexible, you don’t have to go to everyone, “If you can go to ten great, if two great,” said advisor Trisha Koenig. The club can help students become confident communicators and is a great activity for anybody interested in leadership, law, or simply improving their communication skills.
If you are interested in joining, contact the advisor, Trisha Koenig. Or to learn more, talk to speech and debate members, Dean Cook, and Bailey Grieshaber.
NHS:
NHS, or the National Honor Society, is a service-based organization that does various community service activities throughout the year. Some of those activities are cleaning Sunny Side Park and playing bingo at the nursing home with residents. The NHS also runs the blood drive, which occurs twice a year. Once in the fall and once in the spring. They also run the Kiss a Senior Goodbye activity.
The organization meets twice a month in the mornings. In order to join, you have to be invited, which is based on an individual’s GPA. After being invited, you have to apply. This application goes through the high school faculty council; these individuals remain anonymous, and they ultimately decide which students make it in.
To learn more about the NHS, contact advisor Anna Pauley.
Student Council:
Student Council is an organization that represents the student body and helps plan school events. Their main event planning is homecoming, others are bingo, veterans day assembly, kids night out, kindness week, and other various activities throughout the school year. Members meet on Tuesdays at 7:30 am in the media center.
To join, you can attend three meetings, fill out a form, and join. Or in April, students can fill out a form and be voted onto the student council for the following school year. To learn more about the student council, contact the advisor, Cayleigh McBee.
