Morgan Touhy ‘27 Staff Writer
Are School Clubs as Important as They Seem?
Each year, faculty members and student club leaders urge students to join clubs and become active community members. Although clubs are often considered “relevant” to a teenager's high school experience, are they truly as valuable as the community makes them out to be? In my opinion, yes, participation in clubs and student-led leadership groups is a core aspect of students’ development on the Island, due to the unique opportunities they provide in networking, personal growth, and skill building.
Some individuals around campus are skeptical about the necessity of clubs. Yet, even though clubs are not as prioritized as class material, a lot of learning can happen outside of the classroom as students solve and advocate for topics that spark their interests within clubs. As college guidance counselor Kathleen Wiggenhauser said, “[Clubs] are a low stakes way to try new things and help you understand where your passions lie, and for some, to eventually take on responsibilities and leadership roles.”
Students seem to agree with this perspective as well. When asked if extracurricular clubs distract Loomis students from academics and athletics, Elizabeth Mullany ’27 shared, “They are unique experiences on campus which act as escapes for many students who have deep interests in certain non-academic topics.”
Although it is important to have passion for activities outside of the classroom, it is debated whether this disrupts teenagers' focus on homework and possibly overloads them with stressful work. Anna Lim ’27 responded by sharing, “I think students at Loomis are responsible for how many clubs they partake in and should be able to manage their own workload. Management is very important at Loomis, which means getting the academic support you need.”
Another benefit to clubs would be that being exposed to environments that are occupied by peers who share similar interests helps empower one another to strive for an impact. For example, Julia Liu ’26, came to Loomis and fostered her interest in creative writing by joining the Loom. “I think it helped me extend my passion for art and maintain my skill set outside of the classroom.” Thus, many students on campus have discovered areas of strength and interest through club participation.
However, since a student’s involvement and interests at their school often greatly impact their college admissions, students may feel pressured to join clubs for the sake of having “enough” extracurriculars to make themselves appear as involved as possible to colleges. Yet Ms. Wiggenhauser shares helpful guidance which students should keep in mind, “Your freshman and sophomore year are good times to try several things out. As a junior or senior, you should be thinking about the impact you are making in a few areas, rather than participation in as many areas as possible.”
In other words, students shouldn’t spread themselves too thin and should instead immerse themselves in their most favorite activities.Students should continue to pursue leadership and participate in clubs. With the correct balance, they can be a major place for personal growth and a student’s legacy.
