Oneness: Getting Involved in the Garnet Valley Community

Addie Chauhan

Lives around the nation were turned upside down in March of 2020 at the start of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and arguably few were affected more than students. Between online learning, being unable to see classmates, and personal struggles, the outcomes of these transitionary periods were made even more unclear. Nevertheless, persistence paid off, and it seems as if things are returning to normal— or rather, the definition of “normal” is changing. Though mask mandates are lifting and entirely in-person school events are returning, some students still find themselves in disarray; shutdowns due to quarantine prevented many from leaving home and truly finding a place within the community.

It is unquestionable that one’s high school years are some of the most important in their life. Alongside increased liberties both within and outside of school, students are also preparing for their adult lives. Involvement within Garnet Valley not only aids in college admissions for students who choose that path but will also help them learn valuable life skills while forming lifelong relationships with peers. Fortunately, GVHS has an abundance of clubs for people from all walks of life to join. A number of club leaders spoke to the Jaguar Journal about their specific clubs, and how joining them aids in contributing to the pride, connection, and love within Jaguar Nation.

Lindsay Salladino (Student Council)

1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the club. My name is Lindsay Salladino and I am the President of Student Council. As President, I oversee the planning and execution of all events, run meetings and committees, and secure all correspondence. I also am required to remain in daily contact with the council, other officers, and administration.
2. Describe your club. What is its main purpose? How will this club help students become more involved in their community? Student Council strives to promote the general welfare of those within the Garnet Valley Community through service, education, and leadership while working with faculty and administration to represent the student body in all matters on our place within the school community. 
3. How do you join the club? To join the council, students will be required to fill out an initial application through google forms that are sent out in late October/early November. If you are accepted into the next round of applicants you will be given an interview conducted by senior council members to be accepted into the club. 
4. What is the time commitment? Student Council members are expected to attend meetings Bi-Weekly and have a requirement of 20 event hours per year which includes donating materials and attending/planning events. 

5. Why do you think people should join your club? Student Council provides numerous leadership and volunteer opportunities for events that greater unify the student body and the community. Student Council also represents the entire student body and makes decisions that can impact the entire school which is why students should get involved to have their voices heard! 

Daniel Dada (Model United Nations)

1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the club. Hi, my name is Daniel Dada and I am a sophomore here at Garnet Valley. I am on the leadership committee of the Model UN Club at our school, being the secretary of our club. My role entails taking notes during officer meetings, communicating with other schools, and aiding in the running of the social media account we have. 
2. Describe your club. What is its main purpose? How will this club help students become more involved in their community? Model UN is a club that simulates the real-life United Nations, designating club members with respective nations to discuss international conflicts and institute effective policies to rectify said conflicts. This club incentivizes students to be more involved in our community in that it reinforces that same concept of involvement on such a broader scale. In resembling the UN and coming to humanitarian conclusions on international conflict, and implementing policies, one can institute and utilize those same problem-solving skills in their community. Additionally, I view Model-UN as essentially this ‘gateway club’. Succeeding my admittance into Model UN, several appealing clubs were made clear to me. My involvement at GV was only exacerbated after my joining, as the skills that this club equipped me with apply to several different clubs offered to us at our school. For Example, Speech and Debate Club, Youth and Government, Environmental Club, and Black Student Union all require some knowledge of politics, debate capabilities, and speech skills, all of which I’ve amassed due to my membership in Model UN Club. I joined Model UN Club in my freshman year of high school, seeking an opportunity to engage in arguments about political conflict and progress my public speaking abilities.
3. How do you join the club? Any prospective individuals can join the club by either 1) signing up for our Remind with the code @b8fh9d or 2) contacting one of the officers by email. With access to our Remind, you will be notified of meeting times, any schedule changes, and just overall upcoming events.

4. What is the time commitment? You don’t exhaust too much of your time being an active member, but meeting attendance is obligatory for new members, as the first meetings will entail an explanation of how the club works and how to be successful (of course excluding extenuating circumstances). We recently underwent a shift in our

1. meeting schedules. We will be transitioning to Wednesdays in the library after school from 2:35-3:45, compared to last year’s schedule of Wednesdays during Learn 1. 
2. Why do you think people should join your club? Individuals should join Model UN solely because of the opportunities and benefits it offers. You can find yourself descending the rabbit hole of clubs at our school through Model UN. You can build on your speech levels through Model UN. You can become educated on many International and Political concepts through Model UN. Simply put, you’ll never stop reaping the benefits of being involved in this club. I know for certain that I haven’t.

Avery Eskin (Youth and Government)

1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the club. Hi! My name is Avery Eskin, I am a junior and president of the Youth and Government Club. 
2. Describe your club. What is its main purpose? How will this club help students become more involved in their community? YAG was made to have students from all over the state come together and participate in a mock government. It is made up of three main branches: judicial, legislative, and press. While that sounds scary and intimidating, it is very fun and easy to follow once you learn the terminology. This club will be helpful to students who have an interest in the law, journalism, photography, writing, and more. It will also introduce you to super nice people, I and many others have made a lot of friends through YAG. 
3. How do you join the club? Send an email to me, averyeskin@garnetvalley.org saying you’re interested and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. 
4. What is the time commitment? Very minimum. The meetings are once a week after school on Tuesdays for an hour. 
5. Why do you think people should join your club? We get to go to the capital, Harrisburg, for four days and stay in a nice hotel. 

Noelle Fogarty (Interact)

1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the club. Hello! My name is Noelle Fogarty and I am the treasurer of Interact Club. 
2. Describe your club. What is its main purpose? How will this club help students become more involved in their community? Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club that provides opportunities to participate in fun and meaningful community service while developing leadership skills and making new friends. The basic principle of the Rotary Interact is to help others. 
3. How do you join the club? To join our club talk to Mrs. Kamann or Miss Brady in room B115! 
4. What is the time commitment? There is little time commitment, and our meetings are every other Thursday during learn 1. We do fun events and fundraisers as well. 
5. Why do you think people should join your club? People should join GSA because we as a community need to strive to create safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community, and we need your help to do so. Be sure to look out for our LGBTQ+ buttons going on sale for national coming out day, October 11th!

Vrinda Goel (Humanity in Ethnicity, Race, and Equity)

1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the club. Hi! My name is Vrinda and I am HERE Club’s historian. I’ve been a member of HERE since my freshman year and I am so glad to now be an officer of such an amazing club.
2. Describe your club. What is its main purpose? How will this club help students become more involved in their community? HERE serves as a safe and inclusive place for students to join in on insightful discussions about racism, the impact of race on society, and different cultures. 
3. How do you join the club? Join the fun using our Remind code @gvhere
4. What is the time commitment? We meet every other Thursday in room B121 (shoutout to our wonderful advisor Mr. Pimentel!)
5. Why do you think people should join your club? Our meetings are always super positive and we have a lot of fun talking and listening to music together! Be sure to join HERE Club so you can meet our wonderful members and have a safe place to speak on personal experiences.