At school, participating in clubs is one of the great ways for students to get involved in the community. Fortunately, West Ranch has a variety of clubs and programs that are perfect for students to join and contribute to a cause. Some of these clubs on campus include Key Club, Red Cross, NHS, and UNICEF. 

Key Club 

   Key Club is a national student-led organization that teaches leadership through helping others. West Ranch Key Club offers many opportunities for service hours through a variety of projects, such as volunteering at the Boys and Girls club and the Stevenson Ranch Library. 

   Along with these projects, Key Club holds monthly service events. President Rebecca Lee described a few of her most memorable service events: “I’ve made blankets for the homeless, donated plants for nurseries, and made bird feeders for the SCV community. I’ve also done more routine volunteer work packaging and handing out food at food banks. We’ve also done a lot of fundraising for our preferred charities, like PTP and UNICEF, which are uniquely fulfilling because they have impacts on a much larger scale.”

   Additionally, the club emphasizes collaboration among members. “Our officer board always works together on projects so that each officer plays an integral role in supporting our club,” Lee expressed. 

 In order for this club to function, members must be active and willing to participate. Key Club expresses this to their participants and shows gratitude to the students for their hard work and motivation. “Members make up the most important layer of our club, something we make sure to emphasize often,” Lee said, “Through programs like member of the month alongside larger recognition programs, we make sure to recognize everything our members accomplish.”

   West Ranch competes with other schools for numerous awards such as the Advisor of the Year and Most Improved Club. Members are allowed to participate in any of these contests and be recognized.

  Lee encourages students to join the club— “Key Club has given me so much purpose and fulfillment on a personal level, and I would sincerely recommend joining for anyone who loves serving and being part of a fantastic community,” she said. 

NHS 

   The National Honor Society (NHS) is a national organization for high school students that emphasizes the value of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

   NHS offers numerous opportunities for service such as the River Rally event, Relay for Life event, and more. NHS President Ryan Stevenson explained, “Our service opportunities vary greatly, from participating in blood drives, to helping with charity auctions, to autism awareness advocacy.”

   NHS is one of the largest clubs on campus with almost 500 active members. Many join NHS to be more involved in helping others within their community and to gain leadership experience in the process.

   Some students began their volunteer journey with NHS as early as middle school. The experience was valuable. “I was in NJHS in middle school, and I really enjoyed the collaborative environment that the club fostered during service events,” Stevenson said. “There was a really positive vibe of people genuinely enjoying the service and just having a good time together. I wanted a similar experience in high school, so I joined NHS.”

   In order to be eligible for NHS one must be at least in grade 10 and have a 3.75 grade point average. To continue membership, NHS requires every member to complete at least 12 hours of community service and pay dues of $20 every year.

UNICEF

  UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a national organization that works to provide aid to disadvantaged children and adolescents worldwide. 

   While UNICEF was a club at West Ranch in previous years, it has been reestablished this year. The President, Faith Lawrence, had a big part in the renewal of this club.

   “I was motivated to start UNICEF because my grandfather grew up in an orphanage in India, and had a tough childhood. He’s told me many stories about his childhood and I wanted to help other children all around the world who might be going through similar situations and don’t have as many opportunities,” Lawrence explained.

   UNICEF works to improve a variety of aspects of a child’s life such as education, innovation and more. To accomplish this they work with partners around the world to help expand child protection.

      “We have started two fundraisers to help raise money to help build schools in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa,” Lawrence said. “Later in the year we will advocate and hold various events to educate our community about various issues going on around the world.”

    “I think that UNICEF opens people’s eyes to issues. To make a difference, they can join the club or simply donate. Every dollar can make a difference,”  Lawrence emphasizes.

Red Cross Club
  The Red Cross Club is a humanitarian organization whose goal is to prevent and alleviate human suffering. In the face of an emergency, they strive to empower volunteers and students, educating and saving lives while doing so. 

   “Over the course of the year, we will be handling some fundraisers and blood drives, in which students can volunteer,” said Kaden Espino, one of the co-presidents of the West Ranch chapter of the club, “Another offer includes CPR and first aid training in which students can earn service hours and certifications too.”

   Additionally, the Red Cross Club focuses on the importance of mental health and individuality.  The particular person one emerges as from the club is a main focus, helping to extinguish existence. Club members are devoted to serving their community, via service, education, and leadership.  

   “Our club meetings work to create a community bond, and overall provide a fun and worthy experience open to all students,” Espino described. 

   Educating and empowering youth through constructive training and opportunities to better the community is vital in teaching Red Cross Club members the importance of leadership. Red Cross Club is an empowering club, working to help its community’s overall health. 

   West Ranch has a wide diversity of clubs who specialize in providing for the community and helping out. Key Club, NHS, UNICEF and Red Cross Club are just a few out of numerous clubs on campus that offer these opportunities. Cats, if you are interested in earning service hours and helping the community, be sure to sign up for these clubs.