A gaggle of sophomore students at Ann Arbor Huron High School walk through the doors of the auditorium, chattering about the latest geophysical science test. Among them is Stephanie Choi, a veteran member of the Key Club International at Huron. Even with daily homework and tests, she makes time for volunteering on the weekends. It’s extracurricular clubs like this one, whose meeting Stephanie is attending, that make high school memorable to students.

Huron High School is known statewide for its academic excellence. In addition to strong core programs, Huron boasts a plethora of extracurricular clubs that students of all backgrounds can join to broaden their interests. Key Club is among the most prominent of the clubs because it is the largest community service organization at Huron.

To give you a better picture of the extracurricular clubs at Huron, I will be doing a series highlighting several clubs at the school. I will begin this series with a brief commentary on Key Club.

The Key Club at Huron High School is similar to a “laissez-faire” approach to the economy. Every two weeks, the club will hold a meeting during both early and late lunch periods in the lower auditorium. Basic meeting itinerary includes passing out agendas listing volunteer events club members can participate in, relating any news or concerns, and holding “bonding games” that help members get to know each other.

By “laissez-faire”, I mean members can choose how many hours they put in; there is no minimum amount of volunteer requirement. This policy is highly adaptable to the variety of schedules of high school students. Most of the volunteer venues are local, so transportation is convenient.

I ask Stephanie about the pros and cons of Key Club. Overall, her reaction is positive. Stephanie lists diversity as one of the best aspects of being part of the volunteer group. “It's [Key Club] like a rainbow… so many different people and so many different opportunities.” The Key Club at Huron High School reflects the demographic of Ann Arbor. Students of all different backgrounds and ethnicities discover volunteering as an overlap of culture.

What’s a point Key Club can work on? Stephanie says that motivation is an issue. “Members need more enthusiasm,” she relates. Meaning, students can mingle more at meetings. Instead of eating lunch with just their friends, Key Club could be more of an outlet for establishing new connections between students who do not normally hang out together.

Not all volunteer activities turn out the way you might expect. Key Club member Derek Wu tells this story: “So my friends and I were supposed to help out at the local science museum, but we got there late and didn’t know what to do. We ended up covering electrical sockets with plastic plugs instead of helping little kids.” He laughs and continues, “But it was fun anyway!”

All in all, Key Club is a great club for students just coming into high school. The club provides monthly volunteer activities for members to explore their community. Volunteer hours may also be helpful when trying to get admitted to college.

Look for the next feature club soon! Please e-mail any club suggestions to promisedalacrity@gmail.com.