Start a School Club
You might hear about all the different clubs at your school and wonder-- where did they all come from? How do you start a school club? This simple step-by-step guide will show you how to start a club right from the beginning to the end, including the extra things that will help your chances of a club to be approved.
Contents
Steps
What's the club about?
- Work out the plan. If you go all willy-nilly like for an example "Okay, so we're just gonna call this club Club of Awesomeness, have it in the morning, and move on", that's showing people that you don't care about the club. It tells them, "This is a club that randomly popped out with no given thought whatsoever. Please risk everything and join." What specific time? Place? What's it about? For the time and place, decide on a room to hold the club in with your friend, and speak with the person in charge of the room. Agree with them on a time, but make it during school hours-and not during lessons or work times.
- Make a Successful Club At many schools, students start planning the club before the summer vacation. This will give time to plan the club events, fundraisers, and other necessary things to make the club flow steadily upon return to school.
- Choose the club's title. For example, if the club is about your school, i.e what you can do to improve it, what isn't going well, etc., for example, Cayuga Elementary School, you could call it "Cayuga Elementary Club". Think about what it will look like presented to other people, and how it relates to the topic.
- Type up your final plan or required form for the school. Choose a person (either you or your friend) to type it on a computer, print it out, and then discuss it together. Don't forget to check it for errors.
Getting the right people on board
- Find responsible friends. You can't start a club with only one member. Every club has certain positions that need to be filled by responsible people, defined as loyal, intelligent, and hardworking. A club containing people like this will definitely succeed. Also starting to talk with the responsible friends will help in the planning of the club so that one will not have to do it by oneself beforehand.
- Talk to the staff. Speak to the teachers of both your classes, your friend's class (if he/she is in a different class), and your members' class/classes. If all of them agree on your plan, you may speak to the principal. If the principal agrees, move on to the next step.
- Find a club adviser. A club adviser is not an adult/teacher that is supposed to babysit a club; they are a trusted mentor. They also need to possess an interest in the club's activity or goal. So find the perfect one that would take an interest in the club. So that they would love to be involved making the club more active and prosperous.
- Spread the word to the club commissioner, if relevant for your school. Even with the best team, you still need approval. If the club commissioner which approves clubs gets the wrong idea about your club on the form,and they did not interpret the information on the form correctly, the club will unfortunately be rejected.
- Check to make sure everyone knows what to do before summer. Once summer vacation starts, communication may cut off. If it does happen it is best to give officers some work to do during the summer. Like planning for fundraisers. This will help if the club officers did not know what to do and goof off during the summer.
Running the club
- Talk with the other club officers. Make sure there is a high level of communication between the club officers. Without good communication, there will be infinitely many problems occurring. For example: deliveries of fundraiser items are late. Associating with others beforehand makes it easy for an alternative or a solution.
- Persuade others to join. Once the club is approved, all of the work rests in the hands of the club's officers. The first thing is to get people to join.
- Create a flyer/sign-up sheet.
- Prepare a speech. On the first day of your club's start, make sure that the people in your club acknowledge the motive of your club and different requirements needed in the club. This will provide a clear view for the club members.
- Stay organized. Now that a club has started, it is not over yet. All of the hard parts may have passed, but there is still the maintenance of the club, without which the club won't stay viable.
- Enjoy running the club.
Tips
- Work on your club remaining active - that's the main thing club commissioners look for.
- You need to be dedicated and pay attention to your members, that's what keeps them coming back.
- To optimize your time, always plan out.
- The main point to follow first is the responsible friends. It should be a priority do not look around until you find a somewhat responsible person. Remember that a lot of decisions will be based off of the whole club officers ideas.
- Try to communicate as much as you can it is best to see your intention.
- Don't look for people to join just for college transcripts, as they won't be dedicated.
- Make posters about your club and put them around the school. Word of mouth isn't the only way!
- Try to gather as many responsible and loyal students willing to join, not only teacher's pets. Make sure they qualify to fit your club.
- Don't boss your friend or the members around. Otherwise the club will fail.
- Starting a school club can be a big responsibility, so be sure to be ready for meetings and all the crucial parts for the club.
Warnings
- This will take so much of your time up because of planning. Do not expect the club to be quick and easy to start up.
- Many times the road block is the club commissioner, if one is involved. They do not know that much in depth about the club and may reject it for lack of originality.
- Do not be surprised if your club is rejected. Many usually are.
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