Pana Reiva helps Interact Club sell popcorn after school every Tuesday and Thursday. photo by Andrew Villescas
Thomas Jefferson High School students sell delicious treats after school.
High school clubs are very important to any student’s high school experiences. They allow students to form new friendships and meet new people, and together those students get to work towards a common goal. At Thomas Jefferson High School, there are many great clubs in which to get involved, from Ping Pong club to Dance Club, and even Movie Club.
Clubs are always in need of supplies and tools that they require in order to run effectively; this is where fundraising comes into play. Fundraising plays an important role in every club, allowing members to come up with new and creative ways to raise money. In the fall of 2017, students paid to vote for a teacher, and the “winner” then had a pie thrown in his face on the Spartan Edition while the whole school watched. Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Anne Rice came up with an innovative idea for all clubs to raise money. Her idea was to get an ice cream cart that clubs could use to fund their program. “I wanted to have an easy way for all clubs and activities to raise money,’’ explained Rice. From selling popcorn to selling cotton candy, TJ students come up with new, creative ways to raise money for a good cause. “Fundraising is a good team building activity because everyone has a common goal to raise money for something, or promote their club in some way,” Rice continued. “It’s essential that clubs get the funding, so they can do all the things that they want,” said senior and leader of the National Honor Society (NHS) Roger Nakagawa. “Many clubs like NHS run lots of school events, without the funding we won’t be able to run those events.” he continued.
After school, students can often find different clubs selling delicious goods for a reasonable price. There are several clubs who sell ice cream: the Native American Student Alliance sells it Mondays after school, Athletics sell it Wednesdays, Hispanic and Latino Club sells it on Thursdays, and Speech and Debate sells it on Fridays. Interact Club sells popcorn and cotton candy on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the front lobby. Skills USA sells candy bars for one dollar any day of the week, Black Student Alliance sells meat sticks for 50 cents any of the day of the week, NHS has the Kona Ice truck that comes every Thursday, and finally the Hispanic and Latino club sells nachos every Tuesday. Many clubs also hold periodic fundraisers on their own, such as the Native American Student Alliance selling fry-bread to reach their fundraising goals for the second annual DPS student led powwow Dance to Your Future Powwow and College Fair.
These are fun and creative ways for students to support other clubs and also enjoy a delicious treat after a long day at school. In the end it’s win-win, as students are supporting their peers with an added bonus of tasty snacks and treats.
