The Wheatley School Student Clubs and Activities

The Wheatley School Student Clubs and Activities 2017-18 ART AND PHOTO CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students in grades 8-12 who have an interest in art and photography. Club Description: The Art and Photo Club will provide currently enrolled art students with opportunities for extra studio time. Additional opportunities will also be available for participation in local and national contests, as well as collaborative and community service activities. BAND / JAZZ BAND Membership Requirements: Open to all instrumentalists: brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, piano, guitar and vocalists. Members must commit to attending rehearsals and practicing their assigned parts. Audition or Advisor approval required for new members. Intermediate to advanced levels of instrumental ability needed for performance. Individual participation in the NYSSMA Jazz Festival is encouraged. Winds and percussion must be members of the Wheatley band program. Club Description: Weekly Wednesday night rehearsals. BAND / STAGE BAND Membership Requirements: Open to all instrumentalists and vocalists. Members must commit to attending rehearsals and practicing their assigned parts. Beginner to intermediate levels of instrumental ability needed for performance. Individual participation in the NYSSMA Jazz Festival is encouraged. Winds and percussion must be members of the Wheatley band program. Club Description: Weekly night rehearsals required. BRAINSTORMERS Membership Requirements: All Grades 8-12. Any student who enjoys trivia on any topic! We have both Varsity and JV teams. Club Description: Meetings weekly after school on Mondays with Jeopardy type contests. Championship contests at year s end. BOOK CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students who enjoy reading and discussing a variety of literature. Club Description: The Book Club sponsors a variety of social activities including game nights, movie trips, trips to meet authors, and a paperback book swap. The Club also supports all major school events, including the ICU Luncheon and the CLC Carnival. C.A.R.E. CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students who are interested in raising funds for cancer research, learning more about various types of cancers, and increasing awareness to the school and community. Club Description: The club meets bi-weekly from September to June. Here, ideas are discussed and sometimes guest speakers from the major events join the club members to tell more about each event. The CARE club is always looking for energetic, committed members to assist with all that is done through each school year. CHESS CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students in grades 8-12. Club Description: The Club meets every week in the library. DECA Membership Requirements: DECA members can begin their experience as early as the 9th grade by enrolling in a business course. They can retain their membership in DECA as long as they are actively pursuing courses in business. Students must pay annual dues. **Juniors will be required to have completed Introduction to Business and at least one other business course or currently be enrolled in one other business course.** Club Descriptions: DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. 1

DRAMA/MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS (WTC) Membership Requirements: The Wheatley Theatre Company is open to all students who have an interest in the dramatic arts. Students need to invest significant time for rehearsals. Interested students are encouraged to audition for both productions and there are abundant opportunities in all areas of production. Club Description: All students are encouraged to audition for our productions. Those who are cast in a show rehearse approximately 2.5 to 3 hours each day after school during the weeks preceding each show. The Wheatley Theatre Company is firmly dedicated to providing quality theatrical experiences for as many students as possible. DRAMA/MUSICAL SET DESIGNS Membership Requirements: An interest and desire to work "behind the scenes" on set design and its execution. If you enjoy painting and other creative, decorative techniques used in stage productions, take this opportunity to utilize your imagination and artistic talents. Club Description: During the four to five weeks preceding the fall drama and spring musical, students meet to work on the set production and learn about and execute the effective techniques used to set a stage and create the realistic illusions needed for any production. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COMMITTEE (EAC) Membership Requirements: Students interested in nature and environmental issues are encouraged to join. Club Description: Club meets every Wednesday in the SWS room. Officers also meet on Mondays or as necessary. FRENCH Membership Requirements: Open to all students with an interest in French language and French-speaking cultures. Club Description: The club meets monthly with the possibility of additional meetings for organizational requirements of club activities. GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE (GSA) Membership Requirements: Open to all students, grades 8-12, who are interested in discussing issues facing the LGBTQ community and working to raise awareness of these issues in our school. New members are welcome throughout the year. Club Description: GSA provides a comfortable and safe environment for ALL. We strive to reduce discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. We strive to increase awareness of LBGTQ issues and work towards the acceptance of all individuals. GENDER EQUITY Membership Requirements: Open to all students, grades 8-12, who are interested in discussing issues related to increasing awareness regarding the objectification of women in the U.S. and throughout the world. Club Description: Club meets once a week to discuss initiatives and plan activities. GRADE 8 (Class of 2022) Membership Requirements: All students in Eighth grade. representatives in Grade 8 are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings to discuss and plan activities. GRADE 9 (CLASS of 2021) Membership Requirements: All students in Ninth grade. representatives in Grade 9 are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings to discuss and plan activities. GRADE 10 (CLASS OF 2020) Membership Requirements: All students in Tenth grade. representatives in Grade 8 are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings to discuss and plan activities. 2

GRADE 11 (CLASS OF 2019) Membership Requirements: All students in Eleventh grade. representatives in Grade 9 are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings to discuss and plan activities. GRADE 12 (CLASS OF 2018) Membership Requirements: All students in Senior Class. representatives in Grade 12 are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings to discuss and plan activities. INTER-CULTURAL UNITY (ICU) Membership Requirements: Open to all students who have an interest in promoting inter-cultural unity in school and in the community. Club Description: The Club meets Thursdays after school to plan projects and ways to promote inter-cultural unity. ITALIAN Membership Requirements: Open to all current or former students of Italian as well as any student with an interest in Italian culture. Club Description: The Club meets weekly. Election of officers takes place at the end of the school year. Meetings are announced in the daily bulletin. KEY CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students in Grades 8 through 12 who have a desire to be of service to various groups in the community. There is a one-time annual dues requirement for International, Regional and Club membership. There are attendance and service requirements to be a member in good standing and to run for office. Club Description: The advisors, officers and Board of Directors meet every Wednesday after school in the Science wing. The club at large meets every other Wednesday after school in Room 450. Members attend monthly Divisional meetings with other Key Clubs in our Division, as well as a weekend-long Convention held in March. KIDS FOR KIDS Membership Requirements: Open to all students in Grades 8 through 12 who have a desire to be of service to the millions of children in this world who live and go to school in less fortunate situations. Club Description: The Club meets weekly. Election of officers takes place at the end of the school year. Meetings are announced in the daily bulletin. MATHLETES: JUNIOR HIGH Membership Requirements: Students must be members of the 8th or 9th grades for Mathletes competitions. Students must be a member of 8th grade to participate in MATHCOUNTS. Club Description: Students meet once a week after school to practice. The season goes from October through April. The MATHCOUNTS team meets twice a week until the competition in February. MATHLETES: SENIOR HIGH Membership Requirements: Available to all students. Club Description: To increase and develop mathematical concepts and depth of understanding through math competition in the Nassau County Interscholastic Mathematic League and related tournaments. MOCK TRIAL Membership Requirements: Available to all students. Club Description: Mock Trial begins in September preparing for the SWS Mock Trial Tournament. It then continues starting in December, preparing for the State Mock Trial Tournament. The remainder of the year is utilized to build our team skills. 3

PEER TUTORING Membership Requirements: This organization is open to students who are interested in volunteering time to help other students in need, academically. Students who join this group should have the desire to help others, competence in the subjects they tutor, and some flexible time in their own schedule for arrangements with their tutees. A call for volunteers will be put out early in the school year and each volunteer will be interviewed for membership. Club Description: Joining this group will provide students a wonderful opportunity to help other students in all subjects. Tutoring is also available in areas of music, computer science and study skills. Tutors learn, by tutoring, how to teach, how to motivate, and how to help others develop skills in organizing, prioritizing, taking notes, and studying, in general. At times, parents from North Side and Willets Road Schools call for tutoring references for their own children. This kind of tutoring is an excellent after school job for interested high school students. ROBOTICS Membership Requirements: Students in any grade (8-12) may participate in this club. Club Description: Using computer programming, industrial design, problem solving and tenacity, members of the Robotics club will build a robotic device designed to fulfill the particular requirements of the FIRST Robotics competition. SCIENCE OLYMPIAD Membership Requirements: Students in any grade (8-12) may participate in this club. At weekly meetings and ad-hoc session with cooperating or participating teachers, members can practice for their event and discuss methods of improving scores. Club Description: Science Olympiad competitions consist of a series of 23 team events. Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. By combining events from all disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross- section of students to get involved. SPANISH Membership Requirements: Open to all current or former students of Spanish as well as any student with an interest in the various cultures of the Spanish speaking world. Club Description: The Club meets every other Monday at 2:30 pm in Room 209. A list of dates for the year will be distributed at the first meeting. Club information can be found on Mrs. Jacobson s web page. STAGE CREW Membership Requirements: Open to any Wheatley student. Club Description: Building props, arranging lights and setting sound requirements for the above. STEPPS/CONNECTIONS CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students who want to learn how to socialize, make friends and need homework help. This club is also opened to student who are interested in volunteering and want to help students with disabilities. Club Description: The Club meets twice a week. Election for officers takes place the first month of the Club. On a STEPPS day we engage in sports, snack, homework help and socialization time with peers. On a Connection day, we meet in a larger location and engage in an ice breaker activity, play board games, have snack, play ping pong, engage in small crafts and have socialization time with peers. STUDENT SENATE/USG Membership Requirements: Any student may join and participate. A representative from each club and the vicepresident of each class are required to attend meetings once a month. Club Description: The USG is the representative body for all students. It is our central governing body. We work to address all academic and social problems. We strive to improve not only the quality of life for all at Wheatley but others as well. Meetings are held every Monday at 2:30 in Room 457. As the umbrella organization for all clubs, USG is responsible for coordinating the Principal s Leadership Council which is comprised of all USG officers and representatives/leaders from each club. 4

VIDEO CLUB Membership Requirements: Open to all students. Club Description: The Video Club is for all students who have an interest in Television Production either as a career or as a spare time endeavor. All members will gain hands-on experience in all aspects of television broadcasting including the live studio setting, editing, special effects and post-production techniques. Original student productions are emphasized and encouraged. VINTAGE Membership Requirements: Open to all students in grades 8-12 who love to write, want to improve their writing, and may be interested in getting published. This club is also for students who have an appreciation of art, writing and photography, as well as a desire to learn the skills of editing and designing layout for an original magazine. Club Description: Vintage meets weekly. The first half of the year is devoted to a variety of creative writing activities and the sharing of student writing at club meetings. The second half of the year is devoted to publishing Vintage and to producing the coffeehouse. All members take an active role in all aspects of the club, including choosing and participating in creative writing activities, publishing the magazine, organizing and participating in the coffee house, and contributing to charitable events. THE WHEATLEY WILDCAT Membership Requirements: Open to everyone who is willing to attend meetings on a regular basis, and write articles or take photographs as assigned. Editors are chosen through applications. Club Description: The Wheatley Wildcat is an award-winning paper. Staff members learn how to write stories, edit, use computer for layout, etc. When we are working on an issue, meetings are every day. WORLD AFFAIRS CLUB/MODEL UN Membership Requirements: Open to students in grades 8-12. Club Description: The club meets every week after school on Fridays to discuss events, prepare for the Model United Nations, Model Congresses and to discuss other projects. YEARBOOK: AURORA Membership Requirements: Open to all students in grades 8-12 who are interested in photography, layout, writing, managing orders and accounting. Club Description: We meet every week, often every day. Photographers have assignments to take pictures, staff writers have assignments to write articles, layout staff works on page appearance. We all work together to put all the elements together. HONOR SOCIETIES WORLD LANGUAGE HONOR SOCIETY \ Wheatley has local chapter affiliates of national language associations in French (La Societa Honoraire), Italian (La Societa Onoraria Italiaca) and Spanish (La Sociedad Honoraria). The purpose of these organizations is to stimulate interest in the study of these languages, to give recognition to scholarship achievement in these languages and to promote an understanding and appreciation of the cultures and civilizations of the people who speak these languages. Scholarship Requirements: Students must be enrolled in a Level 300 or higher language course. Students enrolled in a second World Language course may be inducted prior to Level 300 if they maintain an A- average or better for at least 3 consecutive semesters prior to the induction ceremony. Candidates must have achieved and maintained an A- or above in the language (Levels 100, 200 and the first two marking periods of Level 300). Candidates must have participated in at least one outside of class language related activity (e.g., National Exams, Poetry contests, Essay Contests, language club, school/community service related travel abroad). Character Requirements: Candidates must demonstrate the highest standards of honesty and reliability, display concern for others and exhibit mature judgment in dealing with adults and peers. Incidents of academic dishonesty, bullying, truancy, disruptive behavior, or vandalism may make a candidate ineligible for membership. 5

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Society Description: National Honor Society is founded upon the philosophies of scholarship, character, leadership and service. To this end, officers and members meet as needed to plan events, disseminate information, and review service opportunities. Positions include President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Service Coordinator and Webmaster. Membership Requirements: Students are invited to apply to the National Honor Society. To be eligible, one must have a minimum 3.3333 GPA at the end of the sophomore or junior year. Having met that academic criterion, the student must then submit a student portfolio (available online) detailing at least 25 hours of pre-admittance service activities, as well as eight teacher recommendations (at least one from each major subject area). The service activities should reflect both in-school and out-of-school experiences, beginning after the end of 8th grade. Students will be evaluated in the areas of leadership, service and character. Successful candidates will be inducted in the fall. Membership Probation: Once a student is admitted to NHS, there is a ten-hour per marking period service requirement to remain a member in good standing (at least 6 of those hours must be outside of school). If members fall below minimum expectations for either (or both) GPA and service/character, a probation period is initiated. There is only ONE, (1) probation period per student. Failure to meet minimum standards in future marking periods will result in permanent dismissal. Incomplete service hours during a probation period must be completed in addition to the normally expected minimum. TRI-M MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY Membership Requirements: Students are invited to join Tri-M. To be eligible, one must: (1) be a member of a Wheatley performing music group and have received a grade of A- or higher in this group; (2) have at least a B average in academic courses; (3) have participated in a NYSSMA solo festival and have completed level V or VI with a score of A- or higher OR go to a music prep school such as Juilliard or Manhattan School of Music; (4) have approval from your school music teacher with regard to your citizenship and cooperative participation as an ensemble member. Induction and continued membership is contingent upon service participation, attendance of at least 50% of the general meetings and continued enrollment in a Wheatley music class with a grade of A- or higher. Society Meetings: Meetings are held every other Friday. 6