The clubs at our school have hosted multiple events, organized fundraisers and provided service to the WHS and global communities. What follows is a summary of their activities for the current school year and look ahead to the next:
This year, the Awareness Club worked with Catherine’s Closet, which is a non-profit organization that provides formal wear for young women who are unable to purchase prom dresses. Within 3 weeks, the club was able to collect more than 50 dresses and shoes. In addition, the club also volunteered to be personal shoppers at Catherine’s Closet on April 25. “The Awareness Club would like to thank the school for the generous donations to Catherine’s Closet,” said Adviser Ms. Lillian Alston.
information courtesy of Ms. Lillian Alston
Community Service Club
This year, the community service club helped the Westfield community by hosting fundraisers, coordinating multiple drives and performing charitable acts. The CSC continued collecting extra lunches each Wednesday and ended up delivering 300 lunches to low-income individuals and the homeless, in addition to serving them hot meals and hosting a birthday party. The CSC tutored elementary school students at Tamaques School throughout the year. The club also coordinated a coat, toiletry and children’s book drive to benefit individuals in need through Bridges Outreach, which is an organization that brings toiletries, bagged lunches, and other necessities to homeless or low-income New York City citizens. The CSC also organized a towel drive to benefit a local animal shelter. The club also improved WHS grounds by planting a new garden. The CSC will continue its involvement next year with junior Sonya Khedr, junior Jessie Murray and junior Hannah de Koning Teasdale as presidents, and sophomore Allison Sprung and freshman Phoebe Aronds as vice presidents.
information courtesy of Mr. Warren Hynes
German Exchange Club
As a result of the end of the German Language program at WHS, the German club is now the German Exchange Club. A small group of students from Idstein, Germany will be visiting Westfield in October and staying with Westfield families that have volunteered to host them. Guidance Counselor Mr. Ryan McGarrigan is the club adviser and juniors Brittany Gould, junior Allie Schwetje and sophomore Nora Moriarty are next year’s club officers. The club hopes to organize a return trip for next year.
information courtesy of Ms. Christiane Friedlander
Key Club
Stop the Clock was a fundraiser coordinated by the Key Club, in which students were told to bring in change to their English classes and the teachers had to count the money during that class period. That event raised a total of $1,300 and all proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity. In addition to Stop the Clock, the club also ran Winter Wonderland, a winter craft and game fair in December, which raised $800 for Eliminate, an organization that helps provide tetanus vaccines. The club also raised $300 by selling bracelets to buy a wheelchair for Christian, a student with cerebral palsy at EIS. Junior Kirsten Von DerWroge is the president for the 2012-2013 school year.
information courtesy of Ms. Rebecca McGrath
Operation Smile Club
Operation Smile raises money for a participating doctor in developing countries to perform surgeries on children with cleft palates. In order to help fundraise, current officers and seniors Loren Ball and Emily Smith organized bake sales, shake-a-can, merchandise sales, a car wash and graduation balloon sales.
information courtesy of Ms. Jill Mezzacappa
Stage Design Club
The Stage Design Club raises money and works to complete the creation of the sets for the fall play and the spring musical. Juniors Emma Tabachnik and Alison Simon are the Assistant Technical Directors and work closely with English and Drama Teacher Mr. Daniel Devlin and Art Teacher Mr. Roy Chambers on attendance, schedules, deadlines and design. The club will be looking for new members in September.
information courtesy of Mr. Roy Chambers
Young Democrats Club
This year, the club ran its annual Get Out the Vote initiative, and urged seniors to register to vote. With the presidential election around the corner, next year is very important for the club and a large turnout for the 2012 Get Out the Vote is ideal. The club is planning on having numerous fundraisers where buttons and stickers will be sold. The new officers are Juniors Riyad Carey, Eric Oberman, Clara Smith, Mark Eisenhauer, Leo Kleiman Lynch, and Reece Zakarin. “We would like to encourage anyone who is interested in becoming more politically involved to attend a meeting as well as participate in GOTV,” said Club Adviser Ms. Karen Stark.
information courtesy of Riyad Carey
Free the Children
This year, Free the Children was able to donation $50 to the World Food Program, purchase two goats, two health kits, and one school kit for children and families experiencing extreme poverty. The club also donated funds to enable an impoverished woman to receive a $100 micro-loan to start a business.
information courtesy of Ms. Alexis Anderson-Urriola
Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer Club
In September 2011, Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer Club was founded by junior Molly Prybylski with advisers Ms. Scott and Ms. Malvasio. The club had meetings and fundraisers throughout the year. Members sold ring pops and shoelaces outside the cafeteria during school. The Kids Walk Club also fundraised at the Spring Fling, Westfield Lacrosse Day and hosted a Stella & Dot Jewelry Party. The walk that WHS participated in took place at Central Park on May 12. Fifty-two WHS students attended the walk and the team raised $10,172, which was donated to Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Pediatric Cancer Center.
information courtesy of Molly Prybylski