By ADY CARTER and GILLIAN WHITE
Student contributors
This school year at CranberryHigh School, many changes have been occurring. As a district, we are still recovering from the effects of COVID-19, and it was only just recently that our school has been able to resume many club events as safely as possible by following the CDC guidelines.
There is a multitude of clubs here at Cranberry that cover a wide array of interests. From sports to cooking, our high school makes a commendable effort to offer students extracurricular activities that fit their interests.
Most clubs at Cranberry do not have a set date that members must join by and instead welcome newcomers at all times of the year. Certain clubs that require their members to participate in fundraisers or pay for club-related merchandise may not offer this policy, but their advisors would certainly encourage the interested party to join the following year if possible.
To start off, the faith-based group known as Ignite, which is one of the school’s most populated clubs, had its first meeting on Sept. 8 and is still welcoming new members with open hands to share their love for the Lord. Ignite’s goal is to provide an opportunity for students to share and grow in their Christian faith, and all lessons and activities are planned and led by the student club members.
Ignite advisor, Christopher Bost, has demonstrated a lot of excitement for this club and its future activities, stating, “I love Ignite because it allows students to grow together in something that they are passionate about, and we see strong leadership qualities emerge from students who may not otherwise get the opportunity. I just take a back seat and watch it happen!”
Though this is Bost’s first year as club advisor, his passion for the club activities is evident. Ignite currently meets twice a month on the second and fourth Wednesdays, and meetings are typically conducted in the choir room.
Ashlynn Collins, a junior at the high school, was heartfelt as she expressed, “Even if it’s just 30 minutes, I like that we are able to talk about our faith with other students and get a break from our crazy everyday lives as high school students to talk about God.”
This would be the perfect club for any students who have an interest in faith and would love to help others by participating in activities such as local, community-oriented missions. Those that may be interested in joining should reach out to Bost.
Another club that has garnered a large amount of attention by allowing students to let their quirks come to light is the Drama Club. Students and parents alike have expressed their love of witnessing the outcome of the club’s rehearsals and talent in the form of an annual play and, more recently, musical showcases.
The first meeting was Sept. 16, but students interested would still be able to join the club and potentially assist with the annual musical by speaking with Preston Yoder. Nevertheless, the newcomer would not be able to participate in the upcoming musical showcase scheduled for Jan. 14, which is an opportunity for students to pick and perform their own songs for an audience.
Yoder has been the advisor of this club since he started teaching at Cranberry and has grown to love it more and more as time has passed. The friendly advisor wore a smile as he explained, “It wasn’t part of the original job description, but I grew to love it.”
Yoder went on to enthusiastically say, “Seeing it go from ground zero to the students becoming the characters, creating the storyline, and presenting a good experience to the audience is wonderful. Day to day, week to week, you can see it all come together.”
Trevor Olson, a senior and member of Drama Club, stated, “I specifically like doing the annual show. It’s fun to have the experience of singing with new people.”
This year, the Drama Club is performing a musical known as “Little Shop of Horrors”, so club meetings have been scheduled as necessary since rehearsals for the show are already in full swing.
The last club to be mentioned in this article is Cranberry’s Creative Endeavors. In this club, students are granted the opportunity to stay after school during activity period once a month and let their creative side shine. From completing crafts to baking, Creative Endeavors offers a number of unique projects.
Their first meeting was Sept. 21. Though it is free to join in the beginning, students must contribute ten dollars to be involved throughout the entire year.
The head student advisor of Creative Endeavors is Lori Corbett, and what she enjoys most about leading creative endeavors is being able to work with students one-on-one.
“I love getting to work with students in a group setting and having fun,” Corbett said.
One of the members, junior Madison Wagner, particularly enjoys this club because of “baking and doing creative activities.” She went on to mention, “It’s my kind of club.”
Any students who are interested in getting involved with Creative Endeavors should reach out to Corbett when convenient.
Ady Carter and Gillian White are students at Cranberry High School and members of Cranberry Chronicles, the school’s journalism/publications class.
